The Sphinx King
by Nithul
Summary: FINISHED! Young Prince Atemu his happy with his life as the future ruler of the sphinx. But when his father dies and he is blamed for it, he runs away. Will he reclaim his place as the Sphinx King? Lion King based. AtemuxYugi
1. Chapter 1

****

Alverna:

Hey all! I decided to do one of my favorite movies, Yu-gi-oh style. Okay here is the list of what and who my characters are, and w_hat_ they can be…

Sphinx- My version of sphinx means they can change into a real lion, or lion with human head. Following Egyptian sphinxes, they also have wings. (Yes, I did do my research.)

Shape-shifter- Can change form into any animal on the savannah, excluding sphinx; shifters can't do that.

Demon- Ya know, bad boys who don't care? Anyway, They eat flesh, messily.

And _who_ my characters are…

Simba- Atemu; Sphinx

Nala- Yugi; Sphinx (Before anyone asks, Yugi is a BOY! If you don't like Boy x Boy, you're reading the wrong fic.)

Mufasa- Aknankanon; Sphinx

Scar- Aknadin; Sphinx

Zazu- Mahad; Sphinx

Timon- Joey; Shape-shifter

Pumba- Mokuba; ½ sphinx ½ shifter

Seto Kaiba is in this to. He just doesn't have a character from the movie to be. Seto is ½ sphinx ½ shifter (This detail is important)

Rafiki- Pegasus; Baboon

Sarabi- Thema; Sphinx (Thema is OCC and her name means 'Queen')

Banzai- Rex Raptor; Demon

Ed- Weevil Underwood; Demon

Shenzi- Mai Valentine; Demon

Those are my characters. If you don't like some people being bad, that's just too bad.

On another note, **all** characters can take on a human form. Now on with the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh, The Lion King, or songs from the Lion King.

* * *

Chapter 1

The sun started to rise over the African Savannah. A lion's roar rose a stir rose in the air. The rhino, meerkat, and cheetah, all turned to look into the sunrise. The marabou storks took flight from their pond. Slowly all the animals from the savannah moved in the same direction.

A chanting song could be heard as the wind blew threw the trees.

_Nants ingonyama bagithi baba_

_Sithi uhhmm ingonyama_

_Nants ingonyama bagithi baba_

_Sithi uhhmm ingonyama_

_Siyo Nqoba_

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ Sitha ngqwa!

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ Eshe

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ Sitha ngqwa!

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ Eshe*

The humans who lived nearby watch and joined the throng as they themselves the figured out what was happening. As everyone neared their destination, a palace made of rock by the Nile, a figure flew overhead.

_From the day we arrive on the planet_

_And, blinking, step into the sun_

_There's more to see than can ever be seen_

_More to do than can ever be done_

_There's far too much to take in here_

_More to find than can ever be found_

_But the sun rolling high_

_Through the sapphire sky_

_Keeps great and small on the endless round _

With the body was of a lion and wings the same golden brown tan color as his fur, his human head with brown hair the fell to his neck, and brown eyes that could see for miles, told the animals and humans who it was.

He was a sphinx. His name was Mahad. And he was one of the Pharaoh's High Priests.

_It's the Circle of Life_

_And it moves us all _

_Through despair and hope_

_Through faith and love_

Mahad flew to the balcony were 4 of the 5 other High Priest, and the Pharaoh was waiting. (A/N: I know there are six, Seto isn't their yet.) As he landed, Mahad changed to his human form and bowed to his Pharaoh, Aknankanon.

Aknankanon was a tall man with gentle and yet piercing blue eyes. Around his next was an upside-down puzzle in the shape of a pyramid, called the Millennium Puzzle. The Pharaoh and the High Priest each had a Millennium Item. Mahad was bearer of the Millennium Ring. Aknadin smiled at Mahad and brought him to his feet before looking down from the balcony.

The animals and humans had made a path for an elderly man with silver hair and a long stick which he used as a staff, and took on the form of a baboon when he needed to do his work. His name was Pegasus, and he was the shaman and good friend to all on the savannah and Nile.

Upon reaching the rock wall, Pegasus changed to his baboon form and climbed up the rocks and trees to reach the Pharaoh and his court. When he reached the top, he changed back and was embraced by Aknankanon, his old friend.

_Till we find our place_

_On the path unwinding _

_In the Circle_

_The Circle of Life _

Leading Pegasus back into the palace, Aknankanon was greeted by his wife Thema, who was holding their new child. The new baby boy had 5 pointed tri-colored hair with blond bangs and three lightning streaks that ran upwards. His skin was already a tan color. He opened his crimson colored eyes to see Pegasus looking at him.

Pegasus lifted his staff and circled it three times over the infants head. As it circled, the staff glowed and a small crown, with the Eye of Ra in the center, appeared on the boy's forehead.

Pulling his staff away, Pegasus then took the new child in his arms and went back out onto the balcony, and lifted the new prince for all to see.

_It's the Circle of Life_

_And it moves us all _

_Through despair and hope_

_Through faith and love_

As everyone cheered, the sunlight broke threw the clouds and shown down on the prince, and the shaman holding him.

_Till we find our place_

_On the path unwinding _

_In the Circle_

_The Circle of Life _

* * *

In a darker place of the palace, a mouse came out of hiding and cleaned itself off. Then quickly tried to run but was pinned under the paw of the missing High Priest. Aknadin lifted the mouse and looked at it as it squeaked at him. His grey hair coming down to his shoulders, part of it covering the golden eye he wore as a High Priest.

"Life's not fair, is it?" he said, playing with the mouse. "Well it makes the two of us. I shall never be king. But you, shall never live to see the light of another day. Adieu."

"Didn't you mother ever tell you not to play with your food, Aknadin?" Mahad said, in human form, and leaning on the doorway to the room.

"What is it you want Mahad?" Aknadin sighed in annoyance as he lay down and pinned the mouse under his paw again.

"I am here to announce, the Pharaoh Aknankanon is on his way." Mahad said entering the room. "So you'd better have a good excuse for missing the ceremony that you were supposed to be at this morning."

While Mahad was speaking the mouse got out from under Aknadin's paw and ran back to its hole.

"Oh look now Mahad," Aknadin said sadly, "you just made me lose my lunch."

"Ha." came the reply. "You'll lose more than that when the Pharaoh gets threw with you. He's as mad, if not more mad, as a human that stubbed its toe while trying to kick one of those young hyenas. And believe me, those were some pretty colorful words that were coming from that human's mouth."

"Oh, be still my quaking legs. I'm quivering in fear." Aknadin said this last word as more of a growl. Getting up he started stalking towards Mahad.

"Aknadin, don't you look at me that way." Mahad said nervously as he backpedaled away from Aknadin, and unfortunately, away from the door.

Aknadin roared and pounced on the priest who yelled, "HELP!"

"Aknadin." a voice said from the door way. Aknadin looked up making an acknowledging noise.

"Release him." Pharaoh Aknankanon said, in sphinx form and looking irritated.

"Impeccable timing your majesty." Mahad said from his position on the floor.

Aknadin got off Mahad, who straitened his clothes before changing to a sphinx, not to intent on having a repeat of the incident. Aknadin, however, walked over towards the Pharaoh.

"Why, if it isn't my big brother descending from on high to mingle with the lower classes."

"Thema and I didn't see you at the presentation of my son this morning." Aknankanon said, getting strait to the point.

"That was today?" Aknadin asked, feigning surprise. "Oh, I feel so awful." Aknadin ran his claws over some rocks, making a horrible scraping sound that had Mahad covering his ears.

"Must have slipped my mind."

Mahad rolled his eyes. "Yeah right. As slippery as your mind _is_, as the Pharaoh's brother you should have been first in line."

"Well I was first in line." Aknadin growled. "Until the little ball of hair was born."

"That 'little ball of hair' is my son," Aknankanon said, stepping into Aknadin's line of sight. "And you're future ruler."

Aknadin tired to look girly. "Oh, I shall practice my curtsy." Then he turned away to leave.

Aknankanon grew angry.

"Don't turn your back on me Aknadin."

"Oh no Aknankanon, perhaps it is you who shouldn't turn your back on me."

Roaring, the now enraged Pharaoh ran in front of his brother.

"Is that a challenge?" he asked angrily.

"Temper, temper." Aknadin said. "I wouldn't dream of challenging you."

"Pity." Mahad said from his position behind Aknankanon. "Why not?"

Looking at the younger priest, Aknadin's looking saying it was obvious, he answered.

"Well as far as brains go in the family I've got the sphinxes share." Looking back up at Aknankanon he said, "But when it comes to brute strength, I'm afraid I'm at the shallow end of the gene pool."

With that, he jumped out the window, and left.

Mahad sighed.

"Oh, there's always one in every family my Pharaoh. Two of them in mine in fact. And they always manage to ruin special occasions."

Aknankanon sighed and looked out the window at the retreating form of the High Priest.

"What am I going to do with him Mahad?"

"He would make a very nice throw rug." Mahad said grinning.

"Mahad!" Aknankanon scolded, but he to was smiling.

Mahad left the room and started flying, with his Pharaoh following.

"Just think of it my Pharaoh, every time he got dirty you could take him out and _beat_ him."

Chuckling, Aknankanon shook his head at his High Priest, and went to go see his son.

* * *

As the sun set on the palace, dark rain clouds rolled in, giving the life giving rain needed for the people to survive.

The thunder rolled and lightning flashed. But it did not distract Pegasus from his job inside his home of the baobab tree. Using the juices from fruit, he painted a picture on the side of the tree, a sphinx with spiky tri-colored hair. Adding the last golden streak of hair, Pegasus wrote the new prince's name under the drawing.

"Atemu."

* * *

*Here is the translation to the chant. Found at http:/ www. lionking. org/ scripts/ Script. html.

_Nants ingonyama bagithi baba_ [Here comes a lion, Father]

_Sithi uhhmm ingonyama_ [Oh yes, it's a lion]

_Nants ingonyama bagithi baba_ [Here comes a lion, Father]

_Sithi uhhmm ingonyama_ [Oh yes, it's a lion]

_Siyo Nqoba_ [We're going to conquer]

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ [A Lion and a Leopard come to this open place]

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ A Lion and a Leopard come to this open place]

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ [A Lion and a Leopard come to this open place]

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ [A Lion and a Leopard come to this open place]

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ [A Lion and a Leopard come to this open place]

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ Sitha ngqwa! [A Lion and a Leopard come to this open place, Coming face to face from a secluded place]

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ Eshe [A Lion and a Leopard come to this open place, Life]

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ Sitha ngqwa! [A Lion and a Leopard come to this open place, Coming face to face from a secluded place]

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_ Eshe [A Lion and a Leopard come to this open place, Life]

* * *

**Alverna:** Chapter 1, done. And for those of you who read "How did it come to this?" it will be updated soon, I promise.


	2. Chapter 2

**Alverna:** 2 chapters in one day? Wow.

I don't own Yu-gi-oh!

* * *

Chapter 2

One morning, three years later, just before the sun rose, a tri-colored haired boy that looked about 12 years old ran onto the roof of the palace. His tanned skin made him hard to see, but his crimson eyes stood out in the twilight. Looking around excitedly, Atemu ran back inside.

"Dad." Atemu called, running to his parent's room. "Dad. Wake up dad. Come on we gotta go, come one."

Bumping into some servants, Atemu apologized before continuing on. Running into his parent's room, then to the side of their bed, he expected his father to be ready for him. But Aknankanon was still sleeping.

"Dad?" Atemu called.

Aknankanon just snored.

"Dad." Atemu said, annoyed, and began to call to his father over and over again.

Thema heard Atemu speaking. Nudging her husband she said, "Your son is calling you."

"Before the sun rises," Aknankanon replied, obviously tired, "he's _your_ son."

"Dad," Atemu whined. "Come on dad." He began to pull at his father hoping to get him out of bed. But he ended up losing his grip and stumbling backwards, landing on his rear.

Finally fed up, Atemu went back to the doorway, changed into his sphinx form, and took a running leap onto his father's chest. Needless to say, Aknankanon woke up rather quickly.

"You promised." Atemu said, glaring.

"Okay, okay." Aknankanon said, groaning at the pain in his chest. "I'm up, I'm up."

"Yes!" Atemu cheered and ran out of the room.

Following their son, also as sphinxes, Aknankanon and Thema went onto the roof, where Thema nudged Atemu to follow his father to the top of the tall tower.

Just as the sun rose, father and son arrived at the top.

"Look son," Aknankanon spoke. "Everywhere the light touches is our kingdom."

"Wow." Atemu said, looking with wide eyes at the size.

"You see son, a pharaoh's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun." Aknankanon continued. Atemu looked up at his father, confused. "One day, Atemu, the sun will set on my time here, and it will rise with you as the new king."

"And this will all be mine?" Atemu asked, wanting to make sure he understood.

"Everything." Aknankanon answered.

"Everything the light touches." Atemu repeated, looking around. Then he saw a barren land that was miles away, and cast in shadow by several mountains. "What about that shadowy place?"

"That's beyond our borders." Aknankanon answered. "You must never go there."

"But I thought the pharaoh could do whatever he wanted." Atemu said, confused.

"There's more to being a king than getting your way all the time." Aknankanon said as turned back to the stairs.

"There's more?" Atemu asked, his attention caught.

"Atemu." Aknankanon chuckled.

The two walked to the human's village, and then to a grassy area.

"Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance." Aknankanon explained as they walked on. "As the Pharaoh, you must learn to understand that balance and respect all the creatures from the working human to a leaping antelope."

"But Dad, don't we, and a bunch of other animals, eat antelope and humans?" Atemu asked.

"Yes Atemu, but let me explain." Aknankanon said patiently. "When we die, our body becomes part of the ground that feeds the grass and vegetables, and the antelope eat the grass, while the humans eat the vegetables. You see, we are all connected in the great circle of life."

A shadow swooped over and Mahad landed on a rock 5 feet in front of the royals.

"Good morning sire." Mahad called from his position, trying not to slip off the large stone.

"Good morning Mahad." Aknankanon answered.

"Checking in, with the morning report." Mahad said, changing to his human form to get a better grip on the rock.

Atemu groaned. He loved Mahad, but when it came to the speeches and reports, he could lull a fast running cheetah to sleep.

Aknankanon ignored his son. "Fire away."

"Well! The buzz from the bees is that the leopards are in a bit of a spot," Mahad began.

"Oh, really?"

"And the baboons are going _ape_ over this. Of course, the giraffes are acting like they're above it all…" Mahad continued. Atemu rolled his eyes, bored. Then he noticed a grasshopper and tried to pounce on it, but kept missing.

"What are you doing, son?" Aknankanon asked, his attention off Mahad. Atemu leapt again and missed

"Pouncing," Atemu answered, getting frustrated.

"Let an old pro show you how it's done!" whispered his father with a mischievous look Atemu only saw when he was planning something a pharaoh shouldn't do.

"The tick birds are pecking on the elephants. I told the elephants to forget it, but they _can't_" Mahad continued,

"Mahad, would you turn around?" asked Aknankanon.

"Yes, sire." Mahad turned around and kept right on talking, not knowing what was planned. "The cheetahs are hard up, but I always say …"

"Stay low to the ground," Aknankanon instructed.

"Cheetahs never prosper...…"

"Stay low to the ground, right, yeah!" whispered Atemu.

"What's going on?" asked Mahad, finally realizing something was up.

"A pouncing lesson," answered Aknankanon.

"Oh very good. Pouncing." Then it sunk in. "_Pouncing!_ Oh no, sire, you _can't_ be serious..." Aknankanon just motioned for Mahad to turn back around, the mischievous look now evident.

"This is _so_ humiliating…" Mahad moaned, doing what his pharaoh requested.

"Try not to make a sound," Aknankanon whispered as his son sunk lower in the grass.

"What are you telling him, Aknankanon?" Mahad was close to panicking. Glancing behind him, he didn't see the prince or his pharaoh anywhere.

"Aknankanon?" Mahad asked timidly. "Atemu?"

Suddenly, Mahad found himself flat on his back with a grinning prince above him, and a pharaoh who was laughing.

"Best morning report ever!" Atemu shouted as he turned and ran back to his father.

"That's very good." Aknankanon congratulated his son.

A gopher emerged beside Mahad.

"Mahad!"

"Yes?" Mahad asked, exasperated as he sat up.

"Sir!" the gopher said, saluting. "News from the underground."

"Now this time," Aknankanon said as he leaned down to Atemu to give another tip.

"My Pharaoh!" Mahad interrupted, his voice slightly panicked. "_Demons_! Along the southern border!" Aknankanon immediately leapt into action.

"Mahad, take Atemu home." he ordered

"Ah, Dad, can't I come?" Atemu asked, wanting to see his father in action.

"No son." Aknankanon said curtly before running towards the southern border.

"I never get to go anywhere." Atemu said crossly, turning back towards the palace.

"Oh, don't worry young master," Mahad said, changing back to his sphinx form. "One day _you_ will be king. And then you can chase those slobbering mangy stupid poachers from dawn until dusk."

* * *

Later on in the day, Aknadin, in human form, was pacing in his room. He growled and kicked away an old bone piece that was on the ledge of his balcony. Atemu, also in human form, took the opportunity to walk in.

"Hey, Uncle Aknadin! Guess what?" he said happily.

Aknadin sighed. "I despise guessing games."

"I'm going to be the Pharaoh of Egypt!"

Aknadin rolled his eyes, turning away from his nephew. "Oh goody." he said.

Atemu grinned enthusiastically. "My dad just showed me the whole kingdom, and I'm gonna rule it all."

"Yes." Aknadin grunted. "Well...forgive me for not _leaping_ with joy. Bad back, you know." Aknadin moved to sit on his bed. Atemu looked to him before walking over to his side.

"Hey Uncle Aknadin, when I become king, what will that make you?"

"A monkey's uncle." came the response. Atemu laughed at his answer.

"You're so weird."

Aknadin looked up and smiled a creepy smile.

"You have no idea." he said before standing and moving to a window. "So, your father showed you the whole kingdom, did he?" he asked.

"Everything." Atemu said following

"I'm guessing he didn't show you what's beyond the southern border, now did he?" Atemu looked down upset and shook his head.

"Well, no... he said I can't go there." Atemu said dejectedly.

"And he's _absolutely_ right." Aknadin said firmly. "It's _far_ too dangerous. Only the bravest sphinxes go there."

Atemu was upset that his own uncle didn't think he was brave.

"Well _I'm_ brave." he said defiantly. "What's out there?"

Aknadin turned away.

"No, I'm sorry, Atemu, I just _can't_ tell you."

"Why not?" Atemu whined.

"Atemu, Atemu," Aknadin tried to 'calm' his nephew. "I'm only looking out for the well- being of my favorite nephew." Aknadin ruffled the spiky hair on Atemu's head.

Growling slightly and attempting to straighten out his hair, Atemu answered sarcastically, "Yeah right. I'm your _only_ nephew."

"All the more reason for me to be protective." Aknadin said. "A thieves village in the middle of an elephant graveyard is no place for a young prince. Oops!" Aknadin covered his mouth.

"A thief's village?" Atemu gasped enthusiastically. "And in the middle of an elephant what? Whoa."

Aknadin palmed his forehead in 'dismay'.

"Oh _dear_, I've said too much. Well, I suppose you'd have found sooner or later, you being SO clever and all. Oh, just do me one favor." Aknadin pulled his nephew to arms length in front of him. "Promise me you'll never visit that _dreadful_ place."

Atemu looked down in thought. Aknadin used the millennium eye to look into his nephew's mind. He saw that Atemu would find out a way to go the village. Just like he planned.

Looking back up, Atemu smiled.

"No problem."

"There's a good lad." Aknadin answered. "Now you run along now and have fun." Atemu stared to leave.

"And remember," Aknadin spoke, Atemu turning to look at him. "It's our little secret." Atemu grinned at his uncle and ran out the door.

Aknadin smiled. Everything was going according to plan.

* * *

**Alverna:** Please review. Let's me know how you like the story. Flames will be used to ruin all duel monster cards.


	3. Chapter 3

**Alverna:** Okay, I'm making a note. Unless I say otherwise, all characters are in their sphinx/demon form, shape-shifters are in human form.

* * *

Chapter 3

Atemu ran threw the palace. Everyone was awake as he ran through the halls, looking for his best friend Yugi. Running into the sunning room, he found his mother, and Yugi being groomed by his grandfather, Solomon. Yugi's parents had died from a demon attack 2 years ago. There was one other sphinx there, the newest High Priest, Seto, bearer of the Millennium Rod.

The new High Priest gave Atemu the creeps. His icy blue stare even made his father nervous. Not much was known about his past. Even Seto didn't remember, thanks to amnesia. He had been found two years ago during the demon attack that had killed Yugi's parents. Even more surprising, Aknadin had taken Seto under his wing. Literally. A year and a half later, he had become a high priest of the court. Seto was currently in his human form and reading a book, so Atemu ignored him and ran over to Yugi.

"Hey, Yugi." Atemu greeted his friend said as he stopped in front of him.

"Hi Atemu." Yugi replied, looking to him as his grandfather started to groom his wings.

Yugi had been born about 2 weeks after Atemu, and looked a lot like him. The only differences between the two was Yugi was a bit shorter, had pale skin, and wide amethyst eyes and edging on his hair.

"Come on. I just heard about this great place." Atemu said.

"Atemu! I'm kind of in the middle of a grooming." Yugi whispered through clenched teeth.

"And it's time for yours." Thema said. Atemu's expression turned to absolute horror. He hated being groomed. Atemu tried to run away, but his mother grabbed him from behind and pulled the squirming prince into her arms. Once Thema had got a hold of her son, she started to lick at his hair.

"Mom!" Atemu protested, and then began whining. "Mom, you're messing up my hair!"

Thema just raised her head and smiled. Atemu growled and jumped out of his mothers arms and, for the second time that day, fixed his hair.

"Okay, okay, I'm groomed. Can we go now?" he asked.

Yugi looked over at his friend and asked "So where exactly are we going? It better not be anywhere dumb."

"No. It's really cool." Atemu answered, bouncing on his toes.

"And where is this 'really cool' place?" Seto asked as he looked up from his book, icy eyes making Atemu nervous.

Atemu thought quickly. He knew he couldn't say where they were really going so he thought up so something quickly. "Oh...um...it's around the water hole."

"The _water hole_?" Yugi said. "What's so great about the water hole? We've been there millions of times."

Atemu leaned close to his fried. "I'll show you when we get there." Yugi nodded in understanding, getting that the water hole wasn't where they were really going.

He looked back to his grandpa. "Grandpa, can I go with Atemu?" he asked.

"Hmm," He looked over to Thema. "What do you think, my queen?"

"Well..." she started and both Atemu and Yugi turned to him.

"_Pleeeease?_" They said at the same time, smiling brightly.

"I don't know." Thema said.

"Please?" Yugi asked in a small voice, his eyes widening even more till they resembled the look of a wounded puppy.

She smiled and nodded. "Okay, it's alright with me." No one could refuse that look. Not even Seto.

"Yeah!" Atemu cheered as they started to run off.

"Alright!" Yugi cheered following his friend.

Seto rolled his eyes at the two and turned back to the book he had been reading.

"As long as Mahad goes with you two." Thema called after the two.

The look a-likes stopped "Oh no, not Mahad." Atemu groaned.

Half an hour later, with Mahad flying overhead, the two young sphinxes were walking side by side heading towards the watering hole.

"Step lively down there." Mahad called. "The sooner we get to the watering hole, the sooner we can leave." Mahad had not been pleased about being put on babysitting duty. Why could have the new priest Seto have done it? He had been right there. Yep. Not pleased at all.

Seeing the Mahad was thinking to himself, Yugi decided to speak to Atemu about where they were really going.

"So where are we really going to?"

"A thief's village in the middle of an elephant graveyard." Atemu answered, trying to sound unconcerned, but his voice betrayed his excitement.

"Wow." Yugi cried.

"Shhhhhhh!" Atemu hissed. "Mahad, remember?"

"Oh, right." Yugi began brainstorming. "So how are we gonna ditch the drip?"

Mahad looked down again to see the two boys whispering to each other. What happened next he simply couldn't help. He sighed.

"Oh just look at you two." he said as he swooped down to walk next to them. Atemu and Yugi stopped talking and looked at each other. Had Mahad overheard them talking?

"Little seeds of romance blossoming in the savannah." Mahad continued. Yugi and Atemu barley kept their sighs of relief from escaping. "Your parents will be _thrilled_, what with your being betrothed and all."

"Be-what-ed?" Atemu asked, not knowing the meaning of that word.

"Betrothed. Intended. Affianced." But with every word the High Priest spoke the more confused the two got.

"Meaning?" Yugi asked.

"I thought I just explained it." Mahad said, irritated they didn't understand.

"English for those who haven't gone threw puberty yet Mahad." Atemu said.

"Alright then, since you want me to be blunt." Mahad said, looking down at the two. "One day you two are going to be married."

"Yuck!" Atemu looked like he had swallowed some rotten meat.

"Ewwww!" Yugi agreed.

"I can't marry Yugi." Atemu protested. "He's my _friend_!"

"Yeah!" Yugi added his two cents worth. "It'd be too weird."

"Well, sorry to burst your bubbles boys," Mahad said starting to lead them to the watering hole again. "But you two turtle-doves don't have any choice." Atemu winked at Yugi and started to mimic Mahad. "It's a tradition, going back generations." Rolling his eyes, Atemu spoke up.

"Well when I'm king that will be the first thing to go. The next will be groomings."

"Not so long as I'm around." Mahad said, turning back to the prince, who ran up to him.

"Then in that case, you're fired."

"Nice try Atemu, but only the Pharaoh can do that."

"Well he's the _future_ Pharaoh." Yugi said come up on Mahad's other side.

"Yeah." Atemu said smugly. "So you have to do what I tell you." He poked Mahad in his side, causing the elder to fall of balance.

"Not yet I don't." Mahad said sternly, regaining his balance. "And with an attitude like _that_, I'm afraid you're shaping up to be a pretty pathetic king indeed." Mahad lengthened his strides till he was ahead of the two trouble makers.

"Hmph." Atemu smirked, ready to put plan ditch babysitter into action. "Not the way _I_ see it."

Atemu jumped and pounced behind Mahad, making the High Priest turn and face him. Atemu began to sing, and forced Mahad on top of a dead tree that had fallen over.

"_I'm gonna be a mighty king,_

_So enemies beware!_"

Atemu made Mahad trip over a dead branch that was stick out of the truck, efficiently tripping the older one. Mahad however was ready to retaliate.

"_Well, I've never seen a king of beasts_

_With quite so crazy hair._"

While saying this, Mahad picked himself up, and plucked one of Atemu's hairs from his head. Atemu just shook it off, gathered leaves to make himself a lion's mane, and kept singing while Mahad went further up the dead tree.

"_I'm gonna be the mane event_

_Like no king was before."_

_I'm brushing up on looking down_

_I'm working on my ROAR._"

Sneaking up behind the older sphinx, Atemu shouted the last word, making Mahad fall off in fright and into a mud puddle.

Climbing out, Mahad began to wipe himself off with something and muttered to himself, "Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing." Hearing a growl, Mahad looked up into the angry face of an elephant. The elephant swung it's trunk and sent the poor High Priest skipping down the Nile River, with Atemu and Yugi following, still singing.

"_Oh, I just can't wait to be king!_"

Skidding to a halt in the shallows, Mahad looked at the young boy.

"You've rather a long way to go, young master, if you _think_-" But Atemu interrupted.

"_No one saying do this._" While Atemu sang Yugi made a face at Mahad while his back was turned.

"Now when I said that, I–" getting the feeling that something was happening, Mahad quickly turned to look at Yugi. Yugi just innocently looked at Mahad and sang.

"_No one saying be there._"

"What I meant was..." When Yugi started to smirk at the face Atemu was making, Mahad turned back to the prince, who dropped the face and just sang.

"_No one saying stop that._"

"Look, what you don't realize…" Mahad stuttered before turning back to Yugi. The innocent little boy made a pig face at Mahad while singing with Atemu.

"_No one saying see here._" And the two ran off leaving Mahad seething.

"Now see here!" Mahad yelled, getting splashed by the ostriches the troublemakers were ridding.

"_Free to run around all day._" Atemu sang over his shoulder.

"Well that's defiantly out." Mahad said, shaking himself dry and flew after them.

"_Free to do it all my way._" Atemu couldn't believe his plan was going so well. It just caused him to grin even more.

Mahad flapped his wings quickly to get in front of the prince and his friend. When he did, he turned and flew backwards to speak to them.

"_I think it's time that you and I_

_Arranged a heart to heart-_"

Mahad crashed into a rhino that plainly ignored him and kept eating.

Atemu smirked while Yugi laughed his head off.

"_Kings don't need advice_

_From little High Priest for a start._"

Pulling away from the rhino, Mahad flapped his wings again but this time landed on a log in the middle of the Nile, which was heading right towards a waterfall.

"_If this is where the monarchy is headed_

_Count me out!_

_Out of service, out of Africa_

_I wouldn't hang about._"

"Aagh!" Mahad yelled as he went over the falls. Flapping his wings he started to follow the young boys again.

"_This child is getting wildly out of wing._" Mahad half moaned half sang.

Atemu and Yugi walked between two rows of saluting zebras.

"_Oh, I just can't wait to be king!_"

As Mahad followed, the zebras all turn and raise their tails. Mahad quickly ran away from that area, but lost his charges in a herd of elephants. Then he saw Atemu on top of a giraffe. Atemu started singing again.

"_Everybody look left._" Mahad looked around and saw a bunch of animal coming towards him. Not being able to move out of the way in time, he was trampled.

"_Everybody look right._" Mahad was trampled again as the animals ran the other way.

"_Everywhere you look I'm_

_Standing in the spotlight!_" Atemu struck a pose as some monkeys wrapped some leaves together to make a spotlight for the future pharaoh.

"Not yet!" Mahad yelled, trying to get threw the herd of animals, who in turn forced him back.

"Ditch the drip." Atemu whispered to the hippo, who whispered it to the giraffe, who whispered it to the monkey. The next thing Mahad knew, he was being subjected to one of the monkey's famous groomings. Everyone else was singing.

"_Let every creature go for broke and sing_

_Let's hear it in the herd and on the wing_

_It's gonna be King Atemu's finest fling._"

Atemu and Yugi joined the animals as they made a pyramid with the two sphinx cubs on the top.

"_Oh I just can't wait to be king!_

_Oh I just can't wait to be king!_

_Oh I just can't waaaaaait ... to be king!_"

As the animal pyramid toppled, Atemu and Yugi jumped off and ran in the direction of the elephant graveyard, leaving a poor Mahad on the bottom of the animal pile. Well, under a rhino really. Squirming around, Mahad tried to get out from under the sitting rhino as the other animals returned to their daily lives.

"I beg your pardon madam," Mahad spoke, "but, GET OFF!" When she didn't move, Mahad looked around for his charges. They weren't there.

"Atemu? Yugi?"

* * *

I loved typing this one! Please Review or I may stop.


	4. Chapter 4

**Alverna:** Okay. I admit it. This story is taking pretense over "How did it come to this?" (my other story, which I'm having serious writers block on. Please PM me if you have ideas!)

**Bakura:** Oh, boo-hoo.

**Alverna: **How did you get here!

**Bakura: **You're the authoress, you tell me.

**Alverna:** Well since you're here, do the disclaimer.

**Bakura:** Alverna does not own Yu-gi-oh, the Lion King, or any of the Lion King's songs. The world would be in trouble if she did.

**Alverna:** HEY!

**Bakura:** It's true! Does anyone read this stuff anyway?

**Alverna:** Ryou! Come take care of your idiot yami who is not in my story.

**Bakura:** What do ya mean I'm not in your story.

**Ryou:** What she said. Now come on.

**Bakura:** I'm in trouble.

**Alverna:** He is whipped. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Chapter 4

Atemu and Yugi were running to the southern border, giggling the whole time. Finally, Atemu couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Alright!" he cheered. "It worked!"

"Yeah!" Yugi agreed, still giggling. "We've lost him." Atemu stopped and grinned at his friend.

"_I_ am a genius." Atemu struck out again.

Yugi frowned and ran in front of Atemu.

"Hey _genius_," he said, "It was _my_ idea."

"Well, yeah." Atemu agreed. "But _I_ pulled it off."

"With _me_." Yugi insisted.

"Oh yeah?" Atemu playfully growled at his friend before pouncing. But Yugi was used to this. After the two somersaulted, Yugi used his weight to pin down the prince.

"Pinned ya." Yugi giggled at Atemu's surprised expression.

"Hey!" Atemu said, annoyed. "Let me up!" So Yugi got off and turned away, smiling, knowing what would come next. And sure enough, Atemu pounced again and the two tumbled down a hill. Yugi again ended up on top.

"Pinned ya again." he said smugly.

A geyser went off and both sphinxes gasped. It was then that they noticed their surroundings. It was dark and grey, and there were bones everywhere.

"This is it." Atemu gasped in a whisper. "We made it."

The two ventured further in and saw just how many bones there were. Then they saw the ruins of the thief's village.

"_Whoa_."

The buildings were barely standing, you could hear the creek of a door that was surprisingly still on its hinges. A huge skull of a male elephant was in the center of the village, like a fountain. Except there was no water.

"It's really creepy." Yugi said, looking around with wide eyes but a smile on his face.

"Yeah." Atemu agreed, grinning. "Isn't it great?"

"We could get into _so_ much trouble for this." Yugi said, smiling even more. He wasn't naughty very often, but when he was, he was.

"I know." Atemu looked at his friend and then the skull in the village. Yugi followed his line of sight.

"I wonder if its brains are still in there?" the thought rolling of Yugi's tongue.

"There's only one way to know." Atemu said, walking towards the skull. "Come on. Let's go check it out."

"Wrong!" shouted Mahad as he landed in front of the two kids. "The only checking out you will do, my royal pain in the neck, is to check out of here."

"Aw man!" Atemu groaned.

"We're way beyond the boundary of the Palace."

"Huh." Atemu chuckled. "Looks like Little Priest is scared."

"That's _Mr._ Little Priest to you shorty." Mahad glared at Atemu. "And right now, we all are in very real danger."

"Danger?" Atemu let out a laugh as he walked in front of the elephant skull. "I walk on the wild side. I laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha ha!"

Evil and insane laughter rang out from the skull, causing Atemu to jump in fright and hide behind Mahad with Yugi.

Three figures came out of the skull. All of them had long snake-like bodies with small arms and legs, (A/N: Think Mushu from Mulan. And I don't own Mulan either!), and black wings that were torn but still could be used to fly. They were demons.

"Well, well, well, Rex," said the only female demon. She had blonde hair and orchid colored eyes that gleamed with an evil scheme. Her body was a dark purple color. "What do we have here?"

"Hmm, I don't know Mai." answered a male with brown hair and small brown eyes. His body color was dark, dark green. "What do you think Weevil?" he asked his companion behind him.

The turquoise haired, dark blue eyed, eerie green body colored, male demon just cackled.

"Yeah, just what I was thinking." Rex replied to the laughter. "A trio of trespassers!"

"And quite by accident, let me assure you." Mahad said, trying to move Atemu and Yugi away from the demons and towards the hill going up to safety area that had been set by Aknankanon. "A simple navigational error. Eh heh heh."

"Whoa, whoa, wait, wait, wait." Mai said, wrapping her tail around Mahad's. "I know who you are. You're Aknankanon's little stooge."

"_I_ madam," Mahad said, getting his tail untangled form the demoness, "am one of the pharaoh's high priest."

"Whoo-weee!" Mai whistled. "A high plop is more like it." Rex and Weevil laughed as Mahad glared. As Rex got his laughter under control, he approached Atemu and Yugi.

"And what does that make you two? High plops in training?"

Atemu growled as Yugi hid behind him. "I'm the future pharaoh."

"Future pharaoh?" Mai asked, looking like she had heard the world's greatest joke. "Then we should be giving you the royal treatment, your _highness_." Rex and Weevil burst out laughing again. "And do you know what we do to pharaohs that step out of their kingdom?"

Atemu huffed. "You can't do anything to me."

"Technically, they can." Mahad whispered to Atemu. "We are on their land."

"But they sneak onto _our_ land all the time!" Atemu protested.

"We drive them back off our land as well." Mahad replied.

"But Mahad," Atemu said, as Mahad tried to shush him, "You told me they were nothing but a bunch of slobbering mangy stupid poachers."

"Ix-nay," Mahad mumble to the prince, "on the oopid-stay.*"

"Hey!" Rex protested, apparently having good ears. "Who are you calling oopid-stay?"

"Oh my-my-my!" Mahad exclaimed, feigning disappointment. "Look at the sun. We really have to go!" But as the three sphinxes tried to run off, Mai cut them off.

"What's the hurry?" she asked, looking hungrily at the cubs, whom Mahad sheltered with his wings. "We'd love to have you stick around for dinner."

"Yeah." Rex agreed, thinking. "We could have whatever's _lion_ around." (A/N: _lying _around, like on the ground or something) Then he burst into a hysterical laughter.

"Oh wait, wait, wait. I got one, I got one." Mai shouted over the laughter "Make mine a _cub_ sandwich. Whatcha think?" Then she started laughing to, until Weevil started to jump up and down making frantic motions. "What Weevil?"

"Hey," Rex said, following where Weevil was motioning to. "Did we order this dinner to go?"

"No." Mai answered. "Out of stupid curiosity, why?"

"Cause _there it goes!_" Rex shouted, pointing at the quickly retreating forms of Atemu, Yugi and Mahad.

Atemu and Yugi ran as fast as their legs could take them, as there wings were not developed enough for them to fly yet. Mahad flew overhead to keep an eye out for the demons, but he did not see the one behind him.

A short while later, Atemu and Yugi stopped.

"Did we lose them?" Yugi asked, panting hard.

"I think so." Atemu responded. "Where's Mahad?" he asked when he saw their guardian wasn't there.

Mahad yelled as the demons placed a charm around his neck that forced him into his human form. The demons were having _fun_ with this. Deciding to tease their prisoner more, Rex began to move Mahad to a geyser that was ready to go off while saying, "The little High Plop of the Pharaoh hippity-hopped all the way to the Magic Cylinder."**

"Oh no!" Mahad yelled. "Not the Magic Cylind-AAAHHHHH!" The geyser went off and shot a screaming Mahad out of the graveyard and onto the Palace grounds. The demons fell over, laughing hysterically.

"Hey!" Atemu shouted from his position on top of an old building by the geyser. "Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?"

Mai looked up with an interested look. "Like… _you_?"

"Oops." Atemu realized the mistake he had made.

Yugi screamed as the three demons jumped at them. Quickly turning, Atemu and Yugi ran, but the demons got ahead of them, forcing them to run another way.

"What's the point of having wings at this stage in life if you can't use them?" Atemu moaned.

"Don't ask." Yugi panted. "Jump!"

Trusting his friend, Atemu jumped. Together they slid down the spine of another elephant, before landing on a hillside of bones. Atemu began to run up them and got to the top.

"Atemu!" Yugi called. Turing around, what Atemu saw horrified him. Yugi was slipping back down to where the demons were. Running back down, Atemu swiped his claws across Mai's cheek, giving Yugi the chance he needed to escape.

Atemu and Yugi ran as fast as they could, this time into an old building.

"Up the stairs!" Atemu shouted. Half-way up, the stairs collapsed, sending the two sprawling to the ground.

"Ow." Yugi said as he slowing got to his feet again. Then he gasped, and backed into the corner. The demons had entered the house.

"Here, kitty-kitty-kitty." Rex taunted, licking his lips.

Placing himself in front of his friend, Atemu tried to roar at the demons, but it came out as a medium sized yowl, which made the demons laugh.

"That was it?" Mai howled. "Do it again. Come on."

Atemu opened his mouth again, but this time it came out as a full grown lions roar.

"Huh?" The three demons questioned. The next thing they knew, they were fighting an enraged Pharaoh, who certainly did not go easy on the ones threatening his son. Mahad flew down next to Atemu and Yugi, and protected them if the fight came to close. Aknankanon easily defeated the three inexperienced demons, who were howling in pain.

"Hey!" Rex cried. "Let us up."

"SILENCE!" Aknankanon roared.

"Okay!" Rex screamed. "We're gonna shut up right now!"

"We're really sorry." Mai said, trying to look pitiful and helpless, which she was.

"If you ever come near my son again…" Aknankanon growled.

"Son?" Mai pretended to be surprised. "You mean, this is your son? Oh man, we didn't know that. Did you know that?" she asked, turning to Rex.

"Me?" Rex said nervously. "No. Did you?"

"No." Mai said a little too loudly. "Of course not." The two looked at each other before looking at their companion, hoping he was dumb enough to play dumb.

"Weevil?"

Weevil just smiled stupidly before nodding his head. Aknankanon roared at this, making the defeated ones hold one another.

"Uh." Rex stuttered. "Toddles." And the three ran off, screaming in terror. Mahad, Atemu, and Yugi came out from the wreckage of the stairs, Atemu going strait to his father.

"Dad… I…" Atemu started.

"You deliberately disobeyed me." Aknankanon interrupted, very mad at his son.

"Dad, I'm… I'm sorry." Atemu said, not knowing what else to say.

"Let's go home." And with that the angry pharaoh led the way out, Mahad following, but staying close to the kids.

Yugi walked side by side his saddened friend.

"I thought you were very brave."

Atemu didn't answer. He knew he was in so much trouble.

But no one noticed, up on another rooftop, Aknadin stood, having watched the whole ordeal before turning back into the shadows.

* * *

*Ix-nay on the oopid-stay. Translation from Pig Latin is 'Nix on the stupid.' Nix means 'no' or used as a warning like, 'watch out.' In this case, Mahad is telling Atemu not to repeat what he said, especially since they are in front of demons at that moment.

**Magic Cylinder- a trap card from Yu-gi-oh (anime) that takes the energy from your opponents attack, and blasts it right back at them. Kind of fitting here. Mahad went in, Mahad went out.

* * *

**Alverna:** Well that's over with.

-Silence-

**Alverna:** Well, since Ryou is busy doing Ra knows what to his yami, I'll say it.

PLEASE REVIEW!


	5. Chapter 5

**Alverna:** Anyone in here?

**Marik:** Yes.

**Alverna:** What is it with you yamis and gettting into my writing zone?

**Marik:** Dunno. But Bakura did the disclaimer last time, so can I do it this time?

**Alverna:** You're offering your help?

**Marik:** No I just want to do it before the pharaoh and the high priest do.

**Seto:** For the last time I was not a high priest! (charges at Marik who runs away)

**Alverna:** How did he get in here?

**Atemu:** He overheard Marik and I came along to see who gets creamed.

(Seto and Marik start fighting)

**Alverna:** Okay. Since there duking it out, could you do the disclaimer?

**Atemu:** No problem. Alverna does not own Yu-gi-oh, the Lion King, or any songs from the Lion King.

**Alverna:** Thank you.

**Marik: **NOOOOOO! I wanted to do it!

**Alverna:** Anyway, here's the chapter.

* * *

Chapter 5

As the sun slipped below the horizon, four figures were seen walking back towards the palace. Aknankanon leading, Mahad flying, keeping an eye out for danger, and Atemu and Yugi, bringing up the rear with sad looks and an 'I'm dead meat' gait.

"Mahad." Aknankanon's voice brought Mahad back to reality. He had been looking at the young prince, feeling it was his fault that this whole mess happened, since he was in charge of keeping the young ones out of danger. Flapping his wings, Mahad landed in front of the Pharaoh.

"Yes sire?" Mahad asked timidly.

"Take Yugi home." Aknankanon commanded. "I've got to teach my son a lesson."

At hearing this, Atemu sunk down into the grass, trying to hide himself.

"Very well my pharaoh." Mahad replied, and walked back to the cubs. "Come Yugi. Atemu…" he sighed and gently nuzzled the young prince. "Good luck." And with that, Mahad began to lead Yugi back to the palace. Yugi looked at his friend for a few seconds before running after Mahad.

"Atemu." Aknankanon's voice echoed across the savannah. The sphinx in question flinched before edging closer to his father. As he approached, he stepped into one of his fathers paw prints. His own was dwarfed by the size. His father had done many things with his paws, Atemu thought. Chase demons, and kill them; his hands had held Atemu when he was scared, they also signed papers to keep the kingdom in balance. His father had so much responsibility on his shoulders. How could he possibly become a good pharaoh after him? This thought in mind, he went and sat by his father.

"Atemu, I'm very disappointed in you." Aknankanon spoke, not looking at his son.

"I know." Atemu said miserably. "I'm sorry."

"You could have been killed!" Aknankanon continued. "You deliberately disobeyed me! And what's worse, you put Yugi, your best friend in danger!" Aknankanon finally looked at his son. Atemu was cowering from the force of the words. A single tear ran down his cheek, as he spoke, his voice cracking.

"I was just trying to be brave like you."

"I'm only brave when I have to be." Aknankanon spoke, then softened his voice. "Atemu, being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble."

"But you're not scared of anything." Atemu looked at his dad.

"I was today."

"You were?" Atemu was surprised, nothing scared his dad. Intimidated, maybe, but scared? Never.

"Yes." Aknankanon leaned down to his son. "I was scared that I would lose you."

"Oh." Atemu understood. His dad cared about his family. "I guess even Pharaoh's can even get scared, huh?" Aknankanon nodded. "But you know what?"

"What?"

"I bet those demons were even scareder."

"That's because no one messes with your dad." Aknankanon said, with the 'I'm-going-to-do-something-a-pharaoh-shouldn't-do-but-I'm-going-to-do-it-anyway' look. "Come here you." And the next thing Atemu knew, he was in a head lock getting a noogie. (**A/N:** It's when your in a head lock and your hair is being messed up)

"Oh no!" Atemu yelped, hair being messed with for the third time that day. Squirming, Atemu wiggled out of his father's grasp and tackled him, leading to a game of chase. "Hey! Come back here!" Atemu exclaimed as he followed his father and soon caught up with him, pouncing onto his back and knocking him down.

"Hey dad?"

"Hmmm?"

"We're pals, right?"

"Right." Aknankanon said, gently laughing.

"And we'll _always_ be together, right?"

Aknankanon sat up, moving Atemu onto his back.

"Atemu," Aknankanon spoke, "Let me tell you something my father told me. Look at the stars." He looked up to the sky and Atemu did the same. "The great pharaohs of the past look down on us from those stars."

"Really?" Atemu asked, awestruck. There were so many.

"Yes." Aknankanon answered. "So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those pharaohs will always be there to guide you ... And so will I."

* * *

Somewhere far away from the palace, there was a cave where the three demons lived. Grumbling was heard inside.

"Man, that lousy Aknankanon!" Rex moaned. "I won't be able to sit for a week!" He looked to his backside, and to the scratches from Aknankanon's claws.

Weevil sat there, giggling at his companion's predicament.

"It's not funny, Weevil." Rex said, glaring. Weevil tried to cover his mouth to muffle the giggles, but burst out laughing.

"Hey, shut up!" Rex yells. Weevil just continues to laugh. Rex got irritated and growled before attacking. Both of them fought each other and Mai, who was standing off to the side looking at the scratches she got from Atemu, turned to them.

"Will you two knock it off!" she yelled and Rex stopped, Weevil was chewing on his leg, thinking the fight was still going on.

"Well, he started it!" Rex said, pointing at his brain dead acquaintance. Mai groaned and Weevil stopped.

"Look at you guys." Mai walked closer to the two. "No wonder we're dangling at the bottom of the food chain."

"Man I hate dangling." Rex spoke with saliva dangling from his mouth.

"Shyeah? You don't think I don't know that." Mai rolled her eyes, then got serious. "You know, if it weren't for those sphinxes, we'd be _runnin'_ the joint."

"Yeah." Rex agreed. "Man, I _hate_ sphinxes."

"So pushy." Mai complained.

"And hairy." Rex continued.

"And stinky."

"And man, are they…"

"_Uuuugly_!" The two finished together before laughing at there own genius.

"Oh," a voice from above them said, "Surely we sphinxes are not all _that_ bad." Aknadin looked at the three demons who sighed in relief at seeing him.

"Oh, Aknadin." Rex said, worry seeping away. "It's just you."

"We were afraid it was somebody important." Mai added.

"Yeah," Rex agreed, then sneered. "Like Aknankanon."

"I see." Aknadin said coldly.

"Now that's power." Rex stated.

"Tell me about it," Mai sighed. "I just _hear_ the name and I _shudder_."

"Aknankanon." Rex played along with Mai, who shivered.

"Do it again." Mai commanded him.

"Aknankanon." Rex grinned as he teased Mai, who looked like she was going to fall over. So Rex continued. "Aknankanon, Aknankanon, Aknankanon!" Mai fell over in hysterics.

"_Oooh!_ It tingles me."

"I'm _surrounded_ by idiots." Aknadin said as he rubbed his forehead.

"Not you, Aknadin." Rex said, referring to what Mai and himself were calling sphinxes. "I mean, you're one of us. I mean, you're our pal." As Rex said this, Weevil dug a finger into his ear, looking for ear wax, while Mai raised one of her back legs and scratched herself like a dog.

"Charmed." Aknadin said sarcastically.

"Ohh, I _like_ that." Mai said. "He's not king, but he's still _so_ proper."

"Yeah." Rex agreed, and then looked up. "Hey, hey. Did ya bring us anything to eat, Aknadin, old buddy, old pal? Huh? Did-ya-did-ya-did-ya?"

"I don't think you really deserve this." Aknadin said, as he held out a zebra's hindquarters. The demons begged Aknadin to drop the meat, drooling. "I practically gift-wrapped those cubs for you. And you couldn't even dispose of them." He let go of the carrion and it fell right in front of the demons, who dug in.

"Well, ya know." Mai said, chewing with a full mouth. "It wasn't exactly like they was _alone,_ Aknadin."

"Yeah." Rex piped up. "What are we supposed to do – kill Aknankanon?"

None of them noticed Aknadin's smirk.

"_Precisely_."

Leaping from rock to rock, Aknadin landed in front of the demons, scattering them. As the geysers erupted, he started to sing.

"_I know that your powers of retention_

_Are as wet as a warthog's backside_

_But thick as you are, pay attention._"

Aknadin smacked at bone that Weevil was chewing on away from him. Weevil stood at attention as Aknadin continued.

"_My words are a matter of pride._

_It's clear from your vacant expressions _

_The lights are not all on upstairs_."

Waving his paw in front of Weevil's face to emphasize his point, Weevil's tongue rolls out of his mouth, his eyes glazed over. Mai and Rex chuckled at Weevil's expression.

"_But we're talking kings and successions_

_Even you can't be caught unawares_."

Jumping at Mai and Weevil, Aknadin startled them into falling backwards into a couple of geysers, which went off and launched the two howling demons.

"_So prepare for a chance of a lifetime_

_Be prepared for sensational news_

_A shining new era_

_Is tiptoeing nearer_."

Mai slipped behind Aknadin, having recovered from the geyser launch.

"_And where do we feature?_"

Aknadin turned and pinched the cheek Atemu had scratched.

"_Just listen to teacher._

_I know it sounds sordid_

_But you'll be rewarded_

_When at last I am given my dues_

_And injustice deliciously squared_

_Be prepared!_"

Aknadin kicked Weevil into a pile of bones, Mai and Rex quickly following.

"Be prepared!" Rex cheered. "Yeah! We'll be prepared. For what?"

"For the death of the Pharaoh." Aknadin rumbled.

"Why?" Rex asked, climbing up to Aknadin. "Is he sick?"

"No, fool." Aknadin said, grabbing him. "We're going to kill him. Atemu too." Rex toppled off the ledge and landed by Mai and Weevil, who were cheering.

"Good idea!" Mai crowed. "Who needs a Pharaoh?"

"No Pharaoh! No Pharaoh! la-la-la-la-laa-laa!" The three demons sang.

"Idiots!" Aknadin roared. "There will _be_ a Pharaoh."

"Hey," Rex said, confused, "but you said…"

"_I_ will be Pharaoh!" Aknadin grinned from his position on the ledge, which looked remarkably like a throne. "Stick with me, and you'll never go hungry again!"

"Yah!" Rex and Mai cheered.

"All right!" Rex yelled.

"Long live the Pharaoh!" Mai started chanting, and was soon joined by many other demons in the cave, who also started singing.

"Long live the Pharaoh! Long live the Pharaoh!

"_It's great that we'll soon be connected._

_With a king who'll be all-time adored._"

Aknadin observed the demons, now marching past in military formation.

"_Of course, quid pro quo, you're expected_

_To take certain duties on board_."

Aknadin made a slashing motion across his throat, emphasizing his point.

"_The future is littered with prizes_

_And though I'm the main addressee_

_The point that I must emphasize is_

_You won't get a sniff without me!_"

Aknadin leaped off his rock throne, singling out one hapless demon, who slipped and fells into a fiery crevice that opened up in the floor. Aknadin leapt from rock to rock as they rose out of the floor, until he found one that went steadily up. The demons sang a harmonizing chant while Aknadin sang loud and strong.

"_So prepare for the coup of the century_

(Oooh!)

_Be prepared for the murkiest scam_

(Oooh... La! La! La!)

_Meticulous planning_

(We'll have food!)

_Tenacity spanning_

(Lots of food)

_Decades of denial_

(We repeat)

_Is simply why I'll_

(Endless meat)

_Be king undisputed_

_Respected, saluted_

_And seen for the wonder I am_

_Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared_

(Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo)

_Be prepared!_"

A couple of demons shook animal skeletons, and one demon played a rib cage like a xylophone. Everyone sang the last part, even Weevil.

"_Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared –_

_Be prepared!_"

Aknadin and the demons laughed evilly; ready to take over the palace, and Egypt.

* * *

**Alverna: **Since Marik and Seto have stopped fighting, I'll let Marik do the final words. Marik?

**Mairk:** PLEASE REVIEW!

**Alverna: **Did you have to shout?

**Mairk:** Yes.


	6. Chapter 6

**Alverna:** Chapter 6.

**Marik:** Can I do the disclaimer this time?

**Malik:** No.

(Along with Marik and Mailk, Yugi, Atemu, Joey, Seto, Bakura, and Ryou are here as well)

**Alverna:** Where did you come from?

**Marik:** You're the authoress and you _still_ haven't figured it out?

**Malik:** That's it. (lunges at Marik) You are so dead.

(Marik runs for his life)

**Marik:** What did I do?

**Yugi:** Do we really have to answer that?

**Atemu:** No Abiou, we don't.

(Marik and Malik crash into Seto and Bakura who start fighting with them as well)

**Alverna:** Okay, since they are fighting, Joey do the disclaimer.

**Joey:** You got it. Alverna doesn't own Yu-gi-oh, the Lion King, or any of the Lion King songs. She is just having fun.

(Bakura and Marik stop fighting, and Seto goes and sits next to Joey)

**Marik:** NOOOOOOOOOO! Why do you hate me?

**Alverna:** I don't. You just keep getting into fights before the disclaimer is announced.

**Bakura:** Wheeler, I told you to have a mean comment.

**Ryou:** You are in so much trouble. (Grabs Bakura by the ear and drags him out of the room)

**Alverna:** Oh look, a door. So that's how they get in. Anyway, enjoy the chapter. OH! There's a character death, so be warned.

* * *

Chapter 6

One month later, after Atemu and Yugi were done being grounded, 2 human figures were seen walking in a large canyon. One was a tall man with grey hair and a golden left eye. The other, a young boy with spiky tri-colored hair. It was Aknadin, with his nephew Atemu.

"Now you wait here." Aknadin told Atemu as the approached a rock underneath a small tree. "Your father has a marvelous surprise for you."

"Oooh." Atemu breathed as he climbed up onto the rock, and then into the tree. "What is it?" Aknadin just smiled.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?" Atemu thought a second before looking up at his uncle.

"If you tell me, I'll still act surprised."

Aknadin chuckled. "You are such a naughty boy."

"Come on, Uncle Aknadin." Atemu pleaded.

"No-no-no-no-no-no-no." Aknadin shook his head. "This is just for you and your daddy. You know, a sort of... father-son... thing. Well! I'd better go get him."

Atemu jumped out of the tree and started to follow his uncle. "I'll go with you."

"No!" Aknadin spoke in a loud, snapping tone. Escorting Atemu back on to the rock he continued in a softer tone of voice. "Heh heh heh. No. Just stay on this rock. You wouldn't want to end up in another mess like you did with the hyenas..."

"You know about that?" Atemu asked, shocked.

"Atemu," Aknadin sighed. "Everybody knows about that."

"Really?" Atemu said meekly and embarrassed.

"Oh, yes." Aknadin said seriously. "Lucky Daddy was there to save you, eh? Oh... and just between us, you might want to work on that little roar of yours. Hmm?"

"Oh..." Atemu looked down, even more embarrassed. "Okay..."

Aknadin pated Atemu roughly on the head, forcing him to fix his hair, again.

"Hey, Uncle Aknadin," Atemu called from the rock, a new thought in his mind. "Will I like the surprise?"

"Atemu," Aknadin said as he looked over his shoulder, "it's to DIE for."

Above the canyon and not very far from the edge, a very large herd of wildebeest were grazing. Off the edge of the herd, three demons stood waiting, hidden under a rock arch. A growling stomach broke the silence.

"Shut up." Mai growled at the source.

"I can't help it." Rex complained before jumping to his feet. "I'm so hungry... I gotta have a wildebeest!"

"Stay put." Mai scolded

"Well..." Rex looked up a Mai hopefully. "Can't I just pick off one of the little sick ones?"

"No!" Mai snapped. "We wait for the signal from Aknadin."

Right on cue, Aknadin stood on the rock, where the demons could see him.

"There he is..." Mai made an evil grin. "Let's go."

Back down in the canyon, Atemu had changed to his sphinx form and was soaking up the sun.

"Little roar." he grumbled. "Puh!"

A lizard climbed out of the tree, walks past Atemu, who changed into his lion form. His hair wasn't a prominent like this, it was very short; but would bush out into a lion's mane when he grew up.

"Rarrr!" he growled.

The lizard has no reaction to this first attempt. Atemu jumps down and tries again.

"Rrrraowr-nh!"

Still no reaction. For his third attempt, Atemu moves closer again and inhales deeply.

"RAOWR!"

The lizard skittered away as fast as it could.

Atemu's roar echoes around the canyon. Atemu lifted his ears to relish the echo of his improving roar. However, the echo is soon eclipsed by a low rumble. Feeling a vibration, Atemu looked down at his feet and sees pebbles jumping. Looking up at the top of the canyon, Atemu saw dust and birds, before the herd of wildebeest started coming over the lip of the gorge. Atemu gasped, terrified and momentarily paralyzed with fear. Regaining his senses, Atemu took off running, the herd right behind him.

Meanwhile, Aknankanon and Mahad stood as humans, surveying the land a short distance from the canyon.

"Oh look, sire." Mahad pointed. "The herd is on the move."

"Odd. It's not time for them to move to a new grazing filed."

At that moment, Aknadin ran up, out of breath.

"Aknankanon." he gasped. "Quick. Stampede. In the gorge. Atemu's down there!"

"Atemu?" Aknankanon changed to his lion form for speed, Mahad changed to his sphinx form to scout out the prince, and they took off for the canyon, Aknadin right behind them.

* * *

Atemu never felt so tired in his life. He was running as fast as he could and was running out of energy fast. Just as he begins to lose hope, he sees a dead tree and quickly climbs up, changing to his sphinx form for better balance.

Mahad flies ahead of Aknankanon and Aknadin, who were running at full speed. Mahad dived down into the canyon, searching for his young prince.

"Mahad!" Atemu shouted, getting his friends attention while clinging precariously to the tree. "Help me!"

Mahad got as close as he could, but couldn't grab Atemu. Flapping his wings he called back down to the prince, "Your father is on the way! Hold on!"

Atemu felt his grip slip. "Hurry!"

Aknankanon and Aknadin slip on to one of the lower ledges of the gorge, looking for Atemu. Mahad quickly flew back to them.

"There! There!" he cried, pointing out where Atemu was. "On that tree!"

"Hold on, Atemu!" Aknankanon called to his son.

At that moment, a wildebeest rams the tree nearly breaking it.

"Ahhhh!" Atemu screamed.

Hearing his son scream, Aknankanon runs out into the herd, joining the stampede.

"Oh Aknadin, this is awful." Mahad moaned. "What will we do? What will we do? Hah ... I'll go back for help, that's what I'll do; I'll go back for he-oomph!"

Mahad didn't see Aknadin getting backhand him. Mahad crashed into a rock wall, knocked out.

Aknankanon ran with the herd till he was slightly past the tree. He whipped around the front of some wildebeest and runs into the herd towards his son. He got rammed head-first once, throwing him to the ground. A wildebeest hits the tree, throwing a screaming Atemu into the air. Aknankanon jumps up in time to catch Atemu in the air with his mouth. He gets hit again and accidentally throws Atemu. On the ground Atemu dodges a few oncoming wildebeest. Aknankanon runs by with the herd and grabs Atemu, jumping up to a near rock ledge. Setting Atemu down, Aknankanon made move to join his son, but was struck by a wildebeest and carried off into the stampede.

"DAD!" Atemu yelled as he watches in horror, as he can't find his father in the swirling mass of wildebeest below him. At the last second, Aknankanon leapt out of the herd and starts to climb with great difficulty up the sheer rock slope. Atemu turns and starts to climb up to the top of the gorge. Unfortunately, he was out of sight of what happened next.

Aknankanon reached a point right below a ledge where he can't climb due to the steepness. Above him on the ledge is Aknadin.

"Aknadin! Broth—" Aknankanon slips, and barely hangs on "Brother! Help me!" His claws scrape against the rock and his back paws have no traction. If he changed forms now, he would lose what little grip he had and fall back into the stampede. Aknadin looks down disdainfully, and then suddenly latches onto Aknankanon's forepaws with claws extended.

"Long live the king." Aknadin said, slowly and evilly. Aknankanon's expression slowly changes to one of horror as he recognizes his brother's intent. Aknankanon yelled as he changed into his sphinx form, trying not to let his brother win. Then, Aknadin threw Aknankanon right back into the stampede. With his back falling first, Aknankanon couldn't get the leverage under his wings to fly out.

"Nooooooo!" Atemu screamed, seeing his father fall, and not his uncle throwing his father.

The herd passed, and Atemu climbed back down to the dust filled canyon floor, looking for his father.

"Dad!" Atemu called before coughing at so much dust. His ears rotated, hearing foot steps. "Dad?"

A stray wildebeest ran past, the source of the sound. The wildebeest curves around the tree Atemu had been clinging to earlier. Beneath the tree is Aknankanon, lying on his side, his wing splayed around him. Atemu approached his father, waiting for him to get up.

"Dad?" Atemu asked, waiting for a response. "Dad, come on. You gotta get up. Dad. We gotta go home." When his father didn't move, Atemu noticed he wasn't breathing. His father was dead. "HEEEEELP!" Atemu yelled, scared. "Somebody! Anybody... help."

When no one responded, he started crying. Turing back to his father, Atemu nuzzles up under his fathers wing and limp paw, so that he is being embracing. He didn't notice his Uncle Aknadin advancing through the dust until he spoke. "Atemu...what have you done?" Atemu jumped up, crying.

"There were wildebeests." Atemu chocked out. "And he tried to save me... it was an accident, I... I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Of course," Aknadin pulled Atemu close to him. "Of course you didn't. No one... ever means for these things to happen. But the Pharaoh IS dead." Aknadin looked with mock regret at his nephew "And if it weren't for you, he'd still be alive." Atemu felt the weight of guilt crushing him.

"Oh!" Aknadin gasped. "What will your mother think?"

"What am I gonna do?" Atemu asked, sniffing.

"Run away, Atemu." Aknadin said, gently pushing him away. "Run... run away and never return." With one last look at his father, Atemu grabbed the millennium puzzle from around his fathers neck, and puts it on as he ran off blindly, not seeing Mai, Rex, and Weevil appear behind Aknadin.

"Kill him." Aknadin ordered.

* * *

Atemu ran as fast as he could up the steep and rocky incline before. Where had those demons come from? Reaching the top, Atemu looked down to see a sheer drop on the other side. But having no choice, since he didn't want to be a demons dinner, he jumped and tumbled down into a patch of briars below. As the demons run down towards the briars, Rex sees the thorn patch and tries to stop.

"Whoa!" he cried, recoiling. After skidding extensively, he manages to stop just above the brambles. Rex heaved a sigh of relief, but it was short lived. Mai and Weevil run into him, propelling him into the bushes.

"Yeow!" Rex screamed, jumping back out of the bushes. Weevil doubles over laughing while Mai grins, before seeing Atemu emerge from the far side of the briars and into the desert. "Hey- There he goes! There he goes!"

"So go get 'im." Rex told her while removing thorns from his body.

"There ain't no way I'm going in there." Mai stated flatly. "What, you want me to come out there looking like you?"

"Cactus Butt." Weevil teased as Rex pulled out some more thorns. Rex spat out thorns into Weevil's laughing face; who lets out a small yelp of pain.

"We gotta finish the job." Rex growled.

"Well, he's as good as dead out there anyway." Mai soothed Rex. "And IF he comes back, we'll kill him."

"Yeah!" Weevil shouted, actually smart enough to comprehend what was going on. "You hear that? If you ever come back, we'll kill ya!"

* * *

Later that evening at the palace, Aknadin addressed the court and those living in the palace by the moon, as he stood standing in front of the sarcophagus that would carry Aknankanon to the area where he would be buried.

"Aknankanon's death was a terrible tragedy; but to lose Atemu, who had barely begun to live..." Thema bent her head in sorrow, Mahad's wife and fellow Priestess, as well as close friend to the queen, Isis, comforted her. Yugi was crying into his grandfather's chest, weeping for the lost of his best friend. "...For me it is a deep personal loss. So it is with a heavy heart that I assume the throne. Yet, out of the ashes of this tragedy, we shall rise to greet the dawning of a new era..." As Aknadin spoke, demons start emerging to the horror of the palace dwellers "...in which sphinx and demon come together, in a great and glorious future!"

Pegasus looked on in the distance shaking his head. Running back to his tree home, he wept for the lose of the Pharaoh and the prince. After wiping away a tear, he reaches up and rubs his hand across the painting of Atemu, smearing it. The line of Pharaoh's was broken, so what was the point of the painting?

* * *

**Alverna:** End of Chapter 6.

**Yugi:** WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

**Atemu:** Abiou, what's wrong?

**Yugi:** (Still crying) You had to leave your home.

**Alverna:** Don't worry, he goes back. Eventually.

**Yugi:** YAH!

**Alverna:** To cheer you up, will you say the final words?

**Yugi:** Okay. Please review this chapter. It makes Alverna happy to see her work being read.

**Alverna:** OH! And here a note to Hopestar435. You're Welcome.


	7. Chapter 7

**Alverna:** Chapter 7 is out. (Pause) Why hasn't any popped out any ideas for my other story?

**Seto:** Maybe you should post a notice and poll on your profile page.

**Alverna: **Good idea Seto.

**Joey:** Please, don't encourage him. His ego is big enough already.

**Seto:** Watch it, Mutt.

**Joey:** For the last time I am not a dog!

**Alverna:** Quit bickering. Marik, since you have been good, you can do the disclaimer.

**Marik:** YES! Alverna doesn't own Yu-gi-oh, the Lion King, or any of the Lion King songs.

**Alverna: **Enjoy the chapter while I go take care of my profile page and set up a poll.

* * *

Chapter 7

Far away from the palace, Atemu lay in the hot desert sun, completely exhausted. Buzzards circle in the sky and begin to descend. As they gather around Atemu, a black dragon with red eyes with a young boy with black hair and grey eyes dived out of the sky with a loud yell.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaahh!"

The boy, who looked about 10 years old, dismounted and began kicking and slapping at the buzzards as the red-eyed black dragon changed into a tall male, about 15 years old, with dirty blond hair and hazel eyes.

"Get out!" The hazel eyed male shouted, joining his friend. "Get out! Get outta here! Whoo!"

"I love it!" the grey eyed boy cheered. "Bowling for buzzards! Specifically Bandit Keith and his gang." The hazel eyed boy briefly glanced at his friend and laughed, dusting himself off. "Gets 'em every time Mokuba."

"Uh-oh." Mokuba said, seeing the unconscious form of Atemu. "Hey Joey. You better come look. I think he's still alive."

"All righty," Joey walked over. "What have we got here?"

Joey changed his form again, this time to a African wolf. Joey smelled the still lion like figure and nudged the paw that was covering the face, reveling Atemu's human face. Joey jumped back.

"Jeez, it's a sphinx!" Grabbing Mokuba he began to run, but Mokuba dragged his heels. "Run, Mokuba! Move it!"

"Hey, Joey." Mokuba wretched free of Joey's grip and ran back to Atemu "It's just a _little_ sphinx. Look at him. He's so cute, and all alone! Can we keep him?"

"Mokuba, are you nuts?" Joey yelled, still keeping his distance. "We're talking about a sphinx. And last time I checked, sphinxes eat meat, and shape-shifters are on the 'rare delicacies' of a sphinx's diet." (**A/N:** Just a reminder, Joey and Mokuba are shape-shifters, able to change into any animal they please, mythological or not, except for sphinx)

"But he's so little." Mokuba tried to reason.

"He's gonna get bigger."

"But if we take care of him, maybe he'll be on our side."

"Uh-huh!" Joey didn't sound convinced. "Maybe he'll b- hey, what if he _is_ on our side Mokie? You know, having a sphinx around might not be such a bad idea."

"So we keeping 'im?" Mokuba asked excitedly.

"Of course." Joey changed back into a red-eyes black dragon. "Who's the brains in this outfit?"

"Me." Mokuba said as he pick up Atemu and mounted Joey.

"My point exactly." Joey agreed. "Wait. Ah, never mind. Jeez, I'm fried. Let's get going and find some shade." And with that, took off.

A short while later, Joey landed on the edge of a jungle. Mokuba, still holding Atemu hopped off and laid him in the shade. Joey turned back into a human and splashed some water on Atemu's face, waking him with a start, and changing him to his human form, revealing the Millennium Puzzle still safe around his neck.

"You okay, kid?" Joey asked, leaning over him.

"I guess so." Atemu answered in a tired voice.

"You nearly died." Mokuba told him, concern evident in his voice.

"Mokuba and I saved you." Joey offered. "My name is Joey."

"I'm Atemu. Thanks for your help." Atemu said dully, before heading back out towards the desert.

"Hey," Joey said, standing up. "Where you going?"

"Nowhere."

"Gee." Joey whispered to Mokuba. "He looks blue."

"I'd say brownish-gold." Mokuba said, looking at Atemu's outfit and skin tone.

"No, no, no, no." Joey shook his head. "I mean blue as in he's depressed."

"Oh." That clarified things. A look passed between the two shifters and they quickly followed the boy they had rescued.

"Hey, what's eatin' ya?" Mokuba asked when they had caught up.

"Nothing; he's at the top of the food chain!" Joey said before bursting out laughing. "The food cha-haain!" Mokuba and Atemu stared at him silently. Realizing his joke flopped, Joey changed the subject. "So, where you from?"

"Who cares?" Atemu said dejectedly. "I can't go back."

"Ahh. You're an outcast!" Joey said excitedly. "That's great, so are we."

"What'cha do?" Mokuba asked.

"Something terrible. But I don't wanna talk about it."

"Good." Joey said. "We don't wanna hear about it."

"Come on, Joey." Mokuba scolded. "Anything we can do?"

"Not unless you can change the past." Atemu looked down the few inches to him with sad eyes.

"You know," Mokuba said, thinking, "in times like this, Joey here says, 'You got to put your behind in your past...' No wait, that's not it."

"No. No. No." Joey said waving his arms. "Nice try Mokie, but let me do it. It's 'You got to put your past behind you.' Look, kid. Bad things happen, and you can't do anything about it, right?"

"Right."

"WRONG!" Joey shouted with so much force Atemu stumble back and landed on his rear. "When the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world."

"That's not what I was taught." Atemu said, picking himself up.

"Then maybe you need a new lesson." Joey grinned. "Repeat after me. Hakuna Matata."

"What?" Atemu asked, confused.

"Ha-ku-na Ma-ta-ta." Mokuba repeated. "It means 'No worries.'"

"_Hakuna Matata_!" Joey started singing.

"_What a wonderful phrase_."

"_Hakuna Matata_!" Mokuba joined in.

"_Ain't no passing craze_."

Joey takes Atemu's hand and pulled him back towards the jungle, still singing.

"_It means no worries_

_For the rest of your days_."

Mokuba and Joey sang the next part together as they entered the jungles cool shade.

"_It's our problem-free_

_Philosophy_."

Joey picked up a spear he had previously made, and threw it into the upper branches of a tree. Two seconds later, a bunch of fruit fell out of the tree, with Mokuba catching and passing out.

"_Hakuna Matata_!"

Atemu took the fruit, but didn't eat it. He was too focused on the words of the song. "Hakuna matata?"

"Yeah," Mokuba said threw a mouthful of banana. "It's our motto."

"What's a motto*?" Atemu asked, never having heard the word before.

"Nothing!" Joey said with a grin. "What's a motto with you?" With that, Joey and Mokuba burst out laughing, rolling around of the jungle floor.

"You know, Atemu." Mokuba said as he got his laughter under control. "These two words will solve all your problems."

"That's right!" Joey said, picking himself off the ground. "Just take myself and Mokuba for example."

"Oh?" Atemu asked interested.

"Yep." Joey started his story. "Ya see, Mokuba and I used to have another companion with us, Mokuba's brother Seth. (**A/N:** Yes, Seth. I'm not making a mistake.) One day, some demons just came out of nowhere and attacked us. Seth retaliated and told us to run while he held them off. Mokuba and I ran and we haven't seen him since, despite looking for him. So we came out here and took to the life of Hakuna Matata."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Atemu said.

"It's in the past kid." Joey replied.

"Yeah." Mokuba agreed. "But you should have seen the arguments they got into. One time they argued about-"

"Mokuba!" Joey jumped over and covered the younger boy's mouth. "Not in front of the kid!"

"Oh..." Mokuba blushed. "Sorry."

"What?" Atemu asked, confused.

In answer, Joey grabs a vine, makes it into a loop, and hoists up Mokuba, making a swing for the two to ride on while they sang.

"_Hakuna Matata!_

_What a wonderful phrase._

_Hakuna Matata!_

_Ain't no passing craze._"

Atemu found himself becoming more and more enthusiastic, bouncing to the beat, he finally joined in singing.

"_It means no worries_

_For the rest of your days_."

"Yeah," Joey cheered, sliding up next to Atemu, "sing it, kid!"

"_It's our problem-free_" the two sang together as Mokuba jumped off the vine swing, landing next to them.

"_Philosophy_." the youngest of them sang.

"_Hakuna Matata_!" The three new friends harmonized together, before Joey stood up and took Atemu by the hand, pulling him deeper into the jungle. When they reached a large fern, Joey let go of Atemu and approached the fern back.

"Welcome..." Joey said as he pulled the fern back, "to our humble home." A beautiful view of the jungle and blue sky greeted Atemu's eyes. Waterfalls and rugged terrain make a beautiful view.

"You live here?" Atemu asked, awestruck.

"We live wherever we want." Joey replied.

"Yep." Mokuba agreed. "Home is where your rump rests."

"It's beautiful." Atemu breathed out.

The group ventured down into the jungle, where Mokuba let out a loud belch.

"I'm starved." Mokuba announced. "And that's usually Joey's job."

"Hey." Joey protested.

"It's true." Mokuba teased.

"I'm so hungry I could eat a whole zebra." Atemu moaned, not remembering the last time he ate. Breakfast for certain. But was it 2 days ago? Or 3? Joey stopped, knowing this would come up.

"Eee-ah-hah." Joey chuckled nervously as Atemu stopped and looked back at him. "We're fresh out of zebra."

"Any antelope?" Atemu asked.

"Nah-uh." Joey shook his head.

"Hippo?" Atemu asked desperately.

"Nope." Joey approached Atemu. "Listen, kid; if you live with us, you have to eat like us." He paused and looked around before spotting a rotting log. "Hey, this looks like a good spot to rustle up some grub." Mokuba changed into a warthog, one of his favorites, and forced the log up with his snout, revealing many insects.

"Eeew." Atemu wrinkled his nose. "What's that?"

"A grub." Joey answered as he picked one up. "What's it look like?"

"Eeew." Atemu recoiled and closed his eyes. "Gross." When Atemu opened his eyes again, Joey had changed into a meerkat and was eating.

"Mmmm." Joey liked his lips. "Tastes like chicken." Mokuba slurped up a large worm from the ground.

"Slimy, yet satisfying." he cheered. Joey however had wandered over to a bug mound, and grabbed one of the bugs.

"These are rare delicacies. Mmmm." he crunched down on the bug. "Piquant, with a very pleasant crunch."

"You'll learn to love 'em." Mokuba told Atemu with a full mouth. Atemu had changed to his sphinx form, ready to run from his bug eating friends, but hunger kept him in one place.

"I'm telling you kid," Joey said as he gathered bugs onto a big leaf. "This is the great life. No rules. No responsibilities." Joey poked his hand into a knothole while he was talking and brought out more bugs. "Oooh! The little cream-filled kind. And best of all, no worries." Joey offered the leaf to Atemu. "Well, kid?" Atemu picked one off the leaf.

"Oh well," Atemu sighed. "Hakuna Matata." And he ate it, but perked up after words. "Slimy, yet satisfying."

"That's it!" Joey said with a grin.

Over the next two years, Atemu grew up. He was now an adult sphinx, his hair made a full lion's mane when he was in lion form. When he was in human form, he stood at 5' 4", still shorter than Joey who stood at 5' 10", yet taller than Mokuba who stood at 4' 8". His skin was still tan, his face still had sharp features, his hair was still tri-colored, the only difference was the muscles he got from 'hunting' Mokuba and Joey. (**A/N:** They were playing, a little rough, but playing) As the sphinx and two shifters wandered through the jungle, Joey and Mokuba began chanting.

"Hakuna matata, hakuna matata, hakuna matata."

"_It means no worries_

_For the rest of your days._" Atemu sang out, before all three harmonized.

"_It's our problem-free_

_Philosophy_."

Joey ran off towards a log that sat over the slow moving river and jumped off, falling into the pool in a cannonball. Mokuba ran after him, making a small splash as he did a swan dive. Atemu jumped and grabbed a vine with his teeth, swinging before it snapped, sending him into the river. The resulting splash washed Joey and Mokuba ashore. After climbing out, and shaking off, the three friends boogied off to the rhythm of their motto.

"Ta ta." Atemu called out to no one, glad to be living the free life of Hakuna Matata.

* * *

*Motto- a sentence, phrase, or word expressing the spirit or purpose of a person, organization, city, etc.

* * *

**Alverna:** Okay. Ryou please end with the final words.

**Ryou:** Okey-dokey. Please Review. Critisism is welcome, it helps us see what was wrong. Just don't say it sucks because you don't like the pairings, it's just rude.


	8. Chapter 8

**Alverna:** I'm making a note. Sphinxes age 4 years for one year of life for the first five years of there lives. Then they mature like humans, one year at a time, for the rest of there lives. Just to clear any confusion.

**Joey:** What about shifters?

**Alverna:** They age 3 years per year the first five years of their life, then like a sphinx, they mature like humans. So you Joey, are 5 years old when first intoduced, but now is 7, looking 17. Mokuba was 3 and 1/3 years intorduced, (remember he looked about 10) and is now 5 years and four months, so he looks 15. (I know Seto and Mokuba are 1/2 sphinx 1/2 shifter {Chapter 1, character into} but they aged like a shifter did since they didn't know they were part sphinx. They will find out before the end of the story.)

**Mokuba:** Cool.

**Alverna:** I know. Also, I made some edits in past chapters. In Chapter 1, the Millennium Items are mentioned, Aknankanon with the Puzzle, and Mahad with the Ring. Also, in Chapter 6, after Aknankanon died Atemu takes the Puzzles and runs off. He still has it. (Looks around) Well, since Joey and Mokuba are the only ones in here, and Joey has already done it, Mokuba will you do the disclaimer?

**Mokuba:** Yep. Alverna does not own Yu-gi-oh, The Lion King, any of the Lion Kings songs, "Nobody knows the Trouble I've seen" by Louis Armstrong, "It's a small World after all" by various artist, "I've got a Lovely bunch of Coconuts" by Fred Heatherton, or "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by Solomon Linda. Whew!

**Joey:** What a mouthful.

**Alverna:** Enjoy the chapter!

(Everyone else runs into the room)

**Yugi: **Did we miss it?

**Alverna:** Disclaimer, yes. Story, no.

**Hirakis':** YEA!

* * *

Chapter 8

Back at the palace, life was terrible. It was gray and dreary. Due to a severe drought most of the plants and trees have died. Aknadin had really ruined Egypt.

When a High Priest, or anyone refused to follow his rule, the demons would put on a charm that would force them to stay in their human form, along with an important item being taken from them. Those with sphinx blood could not remove the charm with out serious bodily harm. The only two remaining High Priest that had avoided this fate were Seto and Isis. Karim, Shada, and Mahad all had ended up with the charms, along with their Millennium Items taken away.

Mahad was the most humiliated. Aknadin forced Mahad away from his fellow priest on a day to day basis, into a small cage you couldn't stand in made out of animal bones, and had him sing. Which is what he was doing right now.

"_Nobody knows_

_The trouble I've seen_

_Nobody knows_

_My sorrow..._" Mahad moaned the words, thinking about how prosperous Egypt had been in the past.

"Oh Mahad, do lighten up." Aknadin said from where he was lying on a couch, sipping a goblet of wine. "Sing something with a little... bounce in it." Mahad thought for a moment and decided to sing the one he knew would annoy Aknadin.

"_It's a small world after all_..."

"No!" Aknadin interrupting, shouting at the top of his lungs. "No. Anything but that!" Mahad thinks again, then hums as a tune comes to him.

"_I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts_

_(diddely-dee-dee)_

_There they are a-standing in a row..._"

Aknadin starts to enjoy this new song and start joins in.

"_Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head_..."

"Oh..." Mahad moaned as Aknadin continued singing. "I would never have had to do this for Aknankanon."

"What?" Aknadin jumped up and hovered over Mahad's cage. "What did you say?"

"Nothing!" Mahad said, not wanting to be forced to touch the charm on his neck again. Just brushing it accidently felt like being stung with thousands of African Killer Bees.

"You know the law," Aknadin growled. "Never, ever mention THAT name in my presence. I... am... the Pharaoh!" A blast of magic from the Millennium Eye knocked Mahad back against the wall of the cage.

"Yes, sire." Mahad said, pushing himself back up. "You ARE the Pharaoh. I... I... Well, I only mentioned it to… illustrate the differences in your… royal managerial approaches."

"Hey Boss!" Rex shouted from down the hallway.

"Oh," Aknadin moaned as Mai, Rex, and Weevil entered the room. "What is it this time?"

"We got a bone to pick with you." Rex growled.

"I'll handle this." Mai said, slapping Rex back with her tail. "Aknadin, there's no food, no water..."

"Yeah," Rex whined. "Its dinner time, and we ain't got no stinkin' entrees."

"It's the sphinxesses'* job to do the hunting..." Aknadin said exasperatly.

"Yeah," Rex whined. "But they won't go hunt."

"Oh..." Aknadin moaned. "Eat Mahad."

"WHAT?" Mahad yelled. "Oh, you wouldn't want me. I'd be so tough and gamey and... eeww..."

"Oh Mahad, don't be ridiculous." Aknadin chuckled. "All you need is a little garnish."

"I thought things were bad under Aknankanon." Rex mumbled to Mai.

"What did you say?" Aknadin growled, rounding on Rex.

"I said Akna..." Rex started, but stopped when Mai thwaped him in the ribs to remind him of the law. Thinking quick Rex stuttered. "I said, uh... 'A knocked up man?'"

"Good." Aknadin growled. "Now get out." The demons start to leave, but pause at the doorway.

"Mm... yeah," Rex said pathetically, "but- we're still hungry."

"Out!" Aknadin yelled at them, throwing his glass of wine and hitting Rex on the head. Taking the hint, they ran off, with Weevil laughing crazily.

* * *

Far away in a jungle home, a monstrous belch vibrated threw the trees.

"Whoa." Joey looked down out of the tree he was sitting in. "Nice one, Atemu."

"Thanks." Atemu grinned at Joey before changing to his human form and flopping onto his back. "Man, I'm stuffed."

"Me too." Mokuba lay down by Atemu. "I ate like a pig."

"Mokuba—" Atemu looked over at his young friend, "When we ate, you were a pig. A warthog to be specific."

"Oh." Mokuba blushed as Joey climbed out of the tree and lay down on Atemu's other side. "Right." All three sigh deeply, in unison.

"Joey?" Mokuba's voice now curious.

"Yeah?" Joey sat up on his elbows and looked over at the blacked haired teen.

"Ever wonder what those sparkly dots are up there?" Mokuba asked, looking at the sky. "I mean, are they fireflies? That uh... got stuck up in that big... bluish-black... thing?" Joey chuckled.

"No Mokuba. I don't wonder; I know. And no, they aren't fireflies."

"Oh." Mokuba looked over at Joey. "What are they?"

"They're balls of gas," Joey replied. "And they're burning billions of miles away." Mokuba rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the sky.

"Joey, wit' you, everything's gas."

"Including when he eats dung beetles." Atemu added with a snicker.

"Not funny." Joey grumbled. "Atemu, what do you think?"

"Well," Atemu fidgeted with the Millennium Puzzle around his neck, getting uncomfortable. "I don't know..."

"Aw come on." Mokuba whined.

"Come on, come on..." Joey coaxed.

"Give, give, give..." Mokuba chanted. "Well, come on, Atemu, we told you ours..."

"Give, give..." Joey coaxed some more.

"Pleeeease?" Mokuba turned on his puppy dog eyes, which always made Atemu crumble. Mokuba looked too much like Yugi when he did that.

"Well," Atemu started reluctantly, "somebody once told me that the great pharaohs of the past are up there, watching over us."

"Really?" Mokuba asked, not sure if he should be awed, or worry if Atemu needed to see a psychiatrist.

"You mean a bunch of royal dead guys are watching us?" Joey asked, trying to keep his composure, then… "Pbbb." He broke out laughing. Mokuba joined in. Atemu laughed as well, only he did it half-heartedly.

"Who told you something like that?" Joey asked, holding his sides from laughing so hard. "What mook made that up?"

"Yeah." Atemu let out a weak chuckle. "Pretty dumb, huh?"

"Aw, you're killing me, Atemu." Joey went limp as he tried to gather himself. But Atemu didn't hear Joey, he was looking back up at the stars. With a sigh, he quietly got up, changed back to his sphinx form, and left. Joey looked at Mokuba, who was just as confused at the sudden departure.

"Was it something I said?" Joey asked. Mokuba, not having an answer, just shrugged.

Atemu walked out onto a ledge and again looked up at the stars. The memory of his father telling him those words and the guilt of the accident made him collapse. A bunch of milkweed floss was stirred into the air by his flop, but Atemu ignored it, not noticing the wind carry it back towards the palace.

* * *

Across the desert, the milkweed floss floated next to a Baobab tree. A hand reached out and snatched some it out of the air. Pegasus sniffs it, grunts, and bounds down into his tree. He pours the milkweed into a turtle shell, sifts it around, and then eats some fruit he had managed to find, despite the drought. Then something caught his eye. Upon examining the milkweed floss again, realization dawned on his face.

"Atemu? He's- he's alive?" Pegasus gasped then laughed. "He, he- he's alive!" Pegasus grabbed his staff, before laughing in delight as he picks up some paint from the fruits and puts a black mane with crimson tips on the smeared sphinx image of Atemu on the wall.

"It is time!" Pegasus proclaimed, before leaving to find the missing, but alive prince.

* * *

Back in the jungle, Joey and Mokuba walked together, singing. Well, Joey was singing, Mokuba was chanting.

"_Ohi'mbube_

_Ohi'mbube_

_Ohi'mbube_

_Ohi'mbube_"

"_In the jungle_

_The mighty jungle_

_The sphinx sleeps tonight._

_In the jungle_

_The mighty jungle _

_The sphinx sleeps..._"

What Joey didn't notice, was while he was singing, Mokuba spotted a beetle, one of his favorite bugs, so he followed it off the path.

"I can't hear you, buddy, back me up!

_A-WEEEE-ee-EE-ee ba-Pum-ba-bum-ba-way_.

A-Mokuba?" Joey looked around not seeing the younger boy. "Mokuba?"

But Mokuba didn't hear Joey calling for him. He was too absorbed in the beetle. Following he tries to jump over the log, but got himself stuck halfway. A twig cracked.

"Joey?" Mokuba asked, looking around a bit spooked. Seeing nothing, he shrugged and jumped over the log. Mokuba licked his lips as he viewed the beetle up close. Just as he was about to grab the beetle, he notice the grass move slightly. A pair of amethyst eyes belonging to what looked like a lion, but because of the weird colored mane was a sphinx, looked out of the grass, getting ready to jump.

"YEEEEAAAHHH!" Mokuba screamed before changing into a warthog, and ran away as fast as he could, the sphinx in hot pursuit.

"Mokuba?" Joey listened as sounds of a chase reached his ears. At first thought, Atemu was chasing Mokuba again. But at listening closer, Joey could hear screaming. Atemu never made Mokuba, or himself, scream when they were chasing each other.

"Mokuba! Mokuba!" Joey called as he ran closer towards the noises. He stopped a second when he saw Mokuba stuck under a tree root. "Mokuba! Hey, what's goin' on?"

"HE'S GONNA EAT ME!" Mokuba screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Huh?" Joey said as he looked over the tree root to see the sphinx charging at full speed towards them. "Whoa!" He immediately got down and tried to push Mokuba out from under the root. "Jeez! Why do I always have to save your AAAAAA!" Joey screamed as the sphinx got to close for comfort, with himself in the line of attack.

'Rare delicacies here I come.**' Joey thought as he closed his eyes shut, and braced himself for claws and teeth. But the feeling never came. A deep and loud roar rang out, and Joey opened his eyes in time to see Atemu leap over them and tackle the opposing sphinx at full force.

"Don't worry, buddy. I'm here for ya." Joey soothed Mokuba, who was close to hyperventilating, while keeping an eye on the fight. "Everything's gonna be okay. Now calm down, and change to your human form so you can crawl out of there." Surprisingly, Mokuba did as he was told. Joey grabbed the teenager, and boosted him into the tree he had been stuck under, quickly following.

"Get him!" Joey rooted for Atemu. "Bite his head! Go for the jugular. The jugular!" Joey stopped cheering and looked down at Mokuba and smirked. "See, I told you he'd come in handy."

"No you didn't." Mokuba said as he smacked his friend upside the head. "I did."

Below the two shifters, the two sphinxes tangled a bit more before Atemu pounced on the opposing sphinx with the intent of pinning. But to Atemu's surprise, his opponent flipped him and pinned him to the ground with a large thump.

It was then that Atemu got a good look at the one holding him down.

He was in lion form, like Atemu, and was full grown, despite being smaller than Atemu and his fur was paler. He had a spiky, black mane, with amethyst edging, and golden blond bangs that framed his amethyst eyes. That had Atemu's full attention, the eyes. Amethyst eyes. Even with the baring of teeth, only one sphinx with those eyes.

"Yugi?" Atemu asked, slightly breathless from the fight. The other sphinx's expression widens, and he immediately backs off and examines Atemu, who got to his feet. "Is it really you?"

"Who are you?" Yugi's voice, slightly matured but still Yugi's voice, came from the grown sphinx.

"It's me." Atemu answered, then realized his voice had matured from the voice he had two years ago. "Atemu."

"Atemu?" Yugi squinted at the sphinx across from him, trying to see his friend. Realizing that Yugi needed more proof, Atemu nodded his head and changed into his human from. Seeing Atemu in human form, and the Millennium Puzzle around his neck, Yugi stood in shock, but not for long.

"Atemu!" Yugi screamed, and ran towards his friend, changing to his human form and captured him in a hug. Joey and Mokuba looked at each other completely baffled, and back to the two now hugging sphinxes, whose sentences were running over each others.

"Well how did you.."

"How did you..."

"Where did you come from..."

"Who... wow... this is cool..."

"It's great to see you..."

"It's great to see YOU..."

"Hey," Joey said as he jumped out of the tree, Mokuba following. "What's goin' on here?"

"What are you doing here?" Atemu asked Yugi, oblivious to Joey's question.

"What do you mean, 'What am I doing here?'" Yugi asked, also unaware of the two approaching them. "What are you doing here?"

"HEY!" Joey's yell made the two jump and look at him. "WHAT'S GOIN' ON HERE!"

"Joey, this is Yugi." Atemu introduced. "He's my best friend."

"Friend?" Joey asked.

"Yeah." Atemu bounced on his toes.

"I am completely and thoroughly confused."

Atemu rolled his eyes at his friend's antics before motioning Mokuba, who had been hiding behind Joey, to come closer. "Hey, Mokuba, come over here." The younger shifter approached cautiously, but became bolder as he got closer.

"Yugi, this is Mokuba." Atemu introduced as Mokuba came closer. "Mokuba, Yugi."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance." Mokuba greeted with a big smile and an outstretched hand.

"The pleasure's all mine." Yugi replied, shaking Mokuba's hand.

"How do you do…" Joey asked before a thought came to him. "Whoa! Whoa. Time out… Lemme get this straight. You know him. He knows you. But he wants to eat Mokuba. And everybody's... okay with this? DID I MISS SOMETHING?" The last words made everybody jump in fright. Well, almost everybody.

"Relax, Joey." Atemu reached up and got the blond down into a head lock.

"Wait till everybody finds out you've been here all this time!" Yugi exclaimed, then turned serious. "And your mother... what will she think?" Atemu let go of Joey, thinking back.

_Flashback_

_"Atemu...what have you done?" Aknadin asked, and Atemu jumped up, crying._

_"There were wildebeests." Atemu chocked out. "And he tried to save me... it was an accident, I... I didn't mean for it to happen."_

_"Of course," Aknadin pulled Atemu close to him. "Of course you didn't. No one... ever means for these things to happen. But the Pharaoh IS dead." Aknadin looked with mock regret at his nephew "And if it weren't for you, he'd still be alive." Atemu felt the weight of guilt crushing him._

_"Oh!" Aknadin gasped. "What will your mother think?"_

_End Flashback_

"She doesn't have to know." Atemu said seriously, looking away. "Nobody has to know."

"Well, of course they do." Yugi said and turned Atemu's face to look at him. "Everyone thinks you're dead."

"They do?"

"Yeah. Aknadin told us about the stampede."

"He did? Well... what else did he tell you?"

"What else matters? You're alive." Yugi's eyes widened as he thought of something. "And that means... you're the Pharaoh."

"Pharaoh? Pbbb." Joey snorted. "Dude, have you got your sphinxes crossed."

"Pharaoh?" Mokuba looked at Atemu in awe.

"Don't kneel Mokuba. He's not the Pharaoh." Joey glanced at Atemu. "Are ya?"

"No." Atemu said solemnly.

"Atemu?" Yugi asked, confused.

"No, I'm not the Pharaoh." Atemu flatly stated. "Maybe I was gonna be, but... that was a long time ago."

"Let me get this straight." Joey said, looking at Atemu intently. "You're the Pharaoh? And you never told us?"

"Look," Atemu tried to reason. "I'm still the same guy."

"But with power!" Joey shot back enthusiastically.

"Could you guys," Yugi looked at Joey and Mokuba apologetically, "excuse us for a few minutes?"

"Hey," Joey said as he nudged Mokuba, "whatever he has to say, he can say in front of us. Right, Atemu?"

"Hmm." Atemu thought for a second. "Maybe you'd better go."

"It starts." Joey looked aghast, then resigned himself to the facts. "You think you know a guy..." He turned and Mokuba followed him threw the jungle brush.

"Joey and Mokuba." Atemu shook his head and looked towards where Yugi was. "You learn to love 'em."

Yugi had his head bowed down and didn't respond.

"What?" Atemu walked over to Yugi, concerned. "What is it?"

"It's like you're back from the dead." Yugi said quietly before looking up at Atemu. "You don't know how much this will mean to everyone...What it means to me."

"Hey, it's okay." Atemu spoke calmly.

"I've really missed you." Yugi grabbed Atemu into another hug. Atemu was shocked for a moment and hugged back.

"I've missed you too."

* * *

*Sphinxesses'- A female shpinx is called a sphinxess. The -es' part is plural. Hope this clears up any confusion

** Joey mentioned this last chapter, just in case you forgot

* * *

**Alverna:** Chapter 8 is done.

**Yugi:** I got to find Atemu.

**Atemu:** Yes you did.

**Alverna:** Seto, final words, now.

**Seto:** Fine, you don't have to be so blunt.

**Joey: **That's open for debate.

**Seto:** Watch it mutt.

**Alverna:** Boys! Seto, now.

**Seto:** Please review. Your comments help Alverna keep typing, and the constructive critisism (a.k.a flames) helps her avoid future mistakes.

**Alverna:** There. That wasn't so bad, now was it?

**Seto:** It's open for debate.

**Alverna:** Whatever. And because Hopestar435 asked, there _will_ be a sequal.


	9. Chapter 9

**Alverna: **Chapter 9 is out!

**Bakura:** About time.

**Alverna:** For a guy who's not in this story, you sure seem to like it.

**Bakura:** I do not like this -beep- story!

**Alverna:** Ryou, where did I put that soap.

**Ryou:** You gave it to me.

**Bakura:** Uh-oh.

(Bakura runs out of the room with Ryou hot on his heels with a bar of soap)

**Alverna:** Okay Malik, your turn to do the disclaimer.

**Malik: **Alverna does not own Yu-gi-oh, The Lion King, any of the Lion Kings songs.

**Alverna:** On with the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 9

Unbeknownst to the two sphinxes, Joey and Mokuba were them watching from the bushes.

After watching them for a few minutes, Joey sighed. "I tell you, Mokuba, this stinks."

Mokuba looked at Joey before sniffing under his arm. "What?"

"Not you. _Them_!" Joey stressed. "Him, and well, Him. Alone."

"What's wrong with that?" Mokuba asked confused. He thought it was good Atemu and Yugi were spending time together. Then Joey started singing.

"_I can see what's happening_."

"What?" Mokuba asked, wanting to know.

"_And they don't have a clue_."

"Who?" Mokuba pressed for info.

"_They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line_

_Our trio's down to two_."

"Oh." That made perfect sense. Joey sang the next part with a mock-French accent before switching back to his normal, yet still sarcastic way of talking. Uh, singing.

"_Ze sweet caress of twilight_

_There's magic everywhere_

_And with all this romantic atmosphere_

_Disaster's in the air_."

Elsewhere, two spiky haired humans, Atemu and Yugi, were walking in front of a waterfall together, talking about old times. A song could be heard on the breeze.

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

_The peace the evening brings_

_The world, for once, in perfect harmony_

_With all its living things_

After walking around they stop to drink at the water. As they do, Atemu looked up at Yugi, thoughts running threw his head.

"_So many things to tell him_

_But how to make him see_

_The truth about my past? Impossible!_

_He'd turn away from me_."

Yugi looked up from drinking, his own thoughts on a train track.

"_He's holding back, he's hiding_

_But what, I can't decide_

_Why won't he be the Pharaoh I know he is?_

_The Pharaoh I see inside_?"

Atemu smiled at Yugi before running past him and climbed up a tree, grabbed onto a vine and splashed into the middle of the pond they had been drinking from. Yugi looked out over the still water, and saw bubbles come closer to him. Suddenly, Atemu lunges up under him, and pulled him back into the pond. Yugi immediately climbed back out, hair and clothes dripping. Atemu followed, smirking at his friend. Yugi looked at Atemu and saw he stood on the edge of the pond. He smirked and pushed his friend back in.

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

_The peace the evening brings_

_The world, for once, in perfect harmony_

_With all its living things _

Atemu and Yugi chased each other around, play fighting. They didn't see the hill they were on until they fell back, rolling down the hill. After tumbling down the hillside, Atemu ended up pinning Yugi beneath him for the first time.

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

_You needn't look too far_

_Stealing through the night's uncertainties_

_Love is where they are _

As the two lay there trying to catch their breath, Yugi smiled, before leaning up and kissing on Atemu on the cheek, startling him. Atemu looked down to Yugi, who was him giving him a seductive smile. Atemu smiled back, and he remembered what Mahad had told him years ago. As he leaned down to kiss Yugi, one thought was in Atemu's mind. Maybe marrying his best friend wasn't such a bad idea.

Joey and Mokuba on the other hand, were tearing up at the idea. With a broken voice, Joey continued.

"_And if he falls in love tonight _

_It can be assumed_…"

Joey gave Mokuba a hug, as he started to sing and let his tears fall.

"_His carefree days with us are history_."

Joey joined Mokuba for the last part, knowing neither one of them could sing it alone.

"_In short, our pal is doomed_."

They stayed there for a very long time, crying.

* * *

"Isn't this a great place?" Atemu asked as they walked along, hand in hand.

"It is beautiful." Yugi agreed, taking in another view of the scenery. "But I don't understand something. You've been alive all this time. Why didn't you come back to the palace?"

"Well, I just needed to..." Atemu paused as he climbed into a "hammock" of hanging vines, "get out on my own. Live my own life. And I did. And it's great."

"We've really needed you at home." Yugi said, his voice catching, as though barely under control.

"No one needs me." Atemu said quietly.

"Yes, we do!" Yugi exclaimed. "You're the Pharaoh."

"Yugi, we've been through this." Atemu scolded. "I'm not the Pharaoh. Aknadin is."

"Atemu," Yugi put his hand on Atemu's, "he let the demons take over the palace."

"_What_?"

"Everything's destroyed." Yugi withdrew his hand and looked at his feet. "There's no food. No water. Atemu, if you don't do something soon, everyone will starve."

"I can't go back." Atemu said as he rolled out of the vine hammock and began walking again.

"Why?" Yugi almost shouted.

"You wouldn't understand."

"What wouldn't I understand?"

"No, no, no." Atemu said hastily. "It doesn't matter. Hakuna Matata."

"What?" Yugi looked at Atemu confused.

"Hakuna Matata. It's something I learned out here." Atemu walked back towards Yugi. "Look, sometimes bad things happen..."

"Atemu!" Yugi interjected, not wanting to hear anymore, his feet rooted to the spot as Atemu walked past.

Atemu continued as if Yugi had said nothing. "...And there's nothing you can do about it. So why worry?"

"Because it's your responsibility!" Yugi called as he ran after Atemu.

"Well, what about you?" Atemu tried a different tactic. "YOU left."

"I left to find help!" Yugi countered. "And I found YOU. Don't you understand? You're our only hope."

"Sorry." Atemu continued walking.

"What's happened to you?" Yugi asked, starting to feel an ache in his heart. "You're not the Atemu I remember."

"You're right." Atemu glared over his shoulder. "I'm not. Now are you satisfied?"

"No," Yugi shook his head. "Just disappointed."

"You know," Atemu growled, "you're starting to sound like my father."

"Good." Yugi stated, words spilling out of his mouth. "At least _one_ of us does."

Atemu jerked, cut by the comment about his father. He whirled around, angry.

"Listen, you think you can just show up and tell me how to live my life?" he shouted. "You don't even know what I've been through!"

"I would if you would just tell me!" Yugi yelled back as Atemu turned away from him.

"Forget it!" Atemu switched to his sphinx form and started running.

"Fine!" Yugi screamed after him, before realizing his cheeks were wet with tears.

* * *

Atemu ran to the edge of the jungle with a grassy plain, where he began pacing.

"He's wrong. I can't go back. What would it prove, anyway? It won't change anything. You can't change the past." Atemu stopped and looked up at the stars, memory of his father after the whole fiasco in the elephant graveyard coming back to him. "You said you'd always be there for me! But you're not. And it's because of me. It's my fault. It's my fault." He bowed his head, choking back tears.

Then, a new sound reached his ears. A nearby tree was rustling from the movement of a silver haired man who was holding a staff and chanting.

"_Asante sana! _

_Squash banana! _

_We we nugu! _

_Mi mi apana!_*"

With the chant slightly annoying, Atemu moved away. Pegasus, however, was elated by the sight of Atemu, and followed him. Atemu lay down on a log over a pond. A rock disturbs the water and Pegasus starts his chant again. Atemu growled, officially annoyed.

"Come on, will you cut it out?" Atemu asked as he walked away from the silver haired man.

"Can't cut it out." Pegasus replied. "It'll grow right back!"

"Creepy guy." Atemu mumbled, noticing he was being followed. "Will you stop following me? Who are you?"

Pegasus jumped in front of Atemu and got in his face. "The question is: Whooo... are you?"

"I thought I knew." Atemu sighed. "Now I'm not so sure."

"Well, I know who you are." Pegasus kneeled down by Atemu's ear. "Shh. It's a secret.

_Asante sana!_

_Squash banana!_

_We we nugu!_

_Mi mi apana_!"

"Enough already." Atemu groaned. "What's that supposed to mean, anyway?"

"It means you are a baboon," Pegasus grinned at him as he changed to his baboon form. "And I'm not."

"I think..." Atemu moved away from him, "you're a little confused."

"Wrong." Pegasus appeared in front of Atemu. "I'm not the one who's confused; you don't even know who you are."

"Oh, and I suppose you know?" Atemu asked sarcastically as he turned away again.

"Sure do; you're Aknankanon's boy." Atemu stopped and looked back at him. "Bye!"

"Hey, wait!" Atemu called as he chased after him. When he finally caught up Pegasus was in a meditative lotus position on a rock. "You knew my father?"

"Correction." Pegasus replied monotone. "I know your father."

"I hate to tell you this, but..." Atemu paused, the accident flashing before his eyes, "he died. A long time ago."

"Nope. Wrong again!" Pegasus leapt off the rock and ran into the jungle chuckling. "He's alive! And I'll show him to you. You follow old Pegasus, he knows the way. Come on! Don't dawdle. Hurry up!"

"Hey, whoa." Atemu called, struggling threw the thick underbrush. "Wait, wait."

"Come on, come on." Pegasus called.

"Would you slow down?" Atemu shouted.

Pegasus suddenly appeared with his hand held up right into Atemu's face.

"STOP!" Atemu skidded to a stop, and Pegasus motions him to come near some reeds. "Shhh. Look down there."

Atemu quietly and carefully works his way out to the pool Pegasus had motioned to. Looking over the edge, and saw his reflection. At first, Atemu was a bit startled, but then realized what he was looking at.

"That's not my father." Atemu said with a disappointed sigh. "That's just my reflection." And he moved to walk away.

"Noo." Pegasus stopped him, and pointed back over the pool, making ripples. "Look harder." As Atemu looked again, the ripples distorting his reflection smoothed out, showing Aknankanon's face. "You see, he lives in you."

"Atemu . . ." a strong voice quietly called as wind picked up, bringing clouds with it.

"Father?" Atemu asked as he looked up and walked away from the pond to see a huge image of Aknankanon forming in the clouds. The image appeared ghostly, but it was his father.

"Atemu," Aknankanon spoke, his voice ringing across the grasslands, "you have forgotten me.

"No." Atemu denied. "How could I?"

"You have forgotten who you are, and so have forgotten me." Aknankanon explained as he steadily gained color and coherence. "Look inside yourself, Atemu. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of Life."

"How can I go back?" Atemu shouted, tears brimming his eyes. "I'm not who I used to be."

"Remember who you are." Aknankanon instructed, as the clouds surrounding him turned gold. "You are my son, and the one true Pharaoh." Atemu's breath caught in his throat. What he had denied and tried to forget about for the past two years came rushing back to him. He looked back up to see the image of his father start to fade. "Remember who you are."

"No. Please!" Atemu ran after the retreating clouds. "Don't leave me."

"Remember..." Aknankanon's voice rang from the clouds.

"Father!"

"Remember..."

"Don't leave me." Atemu stopped, and wondered what he should do.

"What was THAT?" Pegasus approached laughing. "The weather- Pbbbah! Very peculiar. Don't you think?"

"Yeah." Atemu agreed. "Looks like the winds are changing."

"Change is good." The silver haired man pointed out.

"Yeah, but it's not easy." Atemu sighed. "I know what I have to do. But, going back means I'll have to face my past. I've been running from it for so long." A resounding –THWAK- rang out and Atemu clutched his head while glaring at Pegasus. "Oww! Jeez, what was that for?"

"It doesn't matter; it's in the past!" Pegasus replied laughing.

"Yeah," Atemu rubbed his head, "but it still hurts."

"Oh yes, the past can hurt." Pegasus kneeled next to Atemu. "But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or... learn from it." He swung with his staff again, this time Atemu ducked. "Hah, you see! So what are you going to do?"

"First," Atemu looked at Pegasus mischievously. "I'm gonna take your stick."

"No, no, no, no!" Pegasus shouted as Atemu tossed the staff aside. "Not the stick!" After retrieving his staff, Pegasus looked at back at Atemu, only to see him running off. "Hey, where are you going?"

"I'm going back!" Atemu called over his shoulder before focusing on where he needed to go again.

"Good!" Pegasus cheered. "Go on! Get out of here!" He laughed and looked up to see a few shooting starts.

'Wish granted Aknankanon.' Pegasus thought. 'Wish granted.'

* * *

*Here is the translation to the chant.

_Asante sana! {Thank you very much!}_

_Squash banana! {Squash banana!} _

_We we nugu! {You're a BABOON,}_

_Mi mi apana! {And I'm not!}_

* * *

**Alverna: **And he is going back!

**Everyone:** Finally!

**Alverna:** Oh, can it. Just a warning, it will take me longer to get out the next chapter.

**Yugi:** Why?

**Alverna:** Because it is where I really go off the script. I'm going to add some stuff, but it's hard to figure out where it's going to go.

**Joey:** Oh.

**Alverna:** Last words please Bakura, now that you've had your mouth cleaned out.

**Bakura:** Please review.

**Seto: **He was nice about it?

**Alverna:** He just doesn't want soap in his mouth again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Alverna:** Yeah! Chapter 10. Someone do the disclaimer.

**Yugi:** Alverna owns nothing! Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 10

Early in the morning, two figures were seen hanging from vine and huge leaf hammocks. Both were snoring. In his snore, the one with black hair occasionally mumbled "Grubs, grubs." Since they were both out cold, neither one of them noticed the small sphinx approaching.

"Hey." Yugi said as he tapped the blond haired sleeper. "Hey, wake up."

Joey woke up to see a huge face. With a scream, he fellow out of his comfy bed and onto the jungle floor, also waking Mokuba.

"It's OK." Yugi shouted over Joey's screams. "Whoa, whoa. It's OK. It's ME."

"Don't_ ever_ do that again!" Joey said as he got up and put a hand to his head. "Sphinxes, oy!"

"Have you guys seen Atemu?" Yugi asked, getting strait to the point on why he was there.

"I thought he was with you." Joey looked at Yugi from under his hand.

"He was," Yugi admitted. "But now I can't find him. Where is he?"

A laugh interrupted Joey as he opened his mouth to reply. Then turned to see a baboon looking at them.

"You won't find him here." Pegasus said as they all stared at him. "The Pharaoh... has returned."

"I can't believe it." Yugi gasped looking down, and then up at Joey and Mokuba. "He's gone back."

"Gone back? What do you mean?" Joey asked scratching his head and looking back up to where Pegasus was. He was gone. "Hey! What's goin' on here? Who's the monkey?"

"Atemu's gone to challenge Aknadin." Yugi said excitedly.

"Who?" Joey asked, very confused.

"Aknadin." Yugi repeated.

"Who's been knockin'?" Mokuba asked while climbing out of his hammock.

"No, no, no." Yugi shook his head. "It's his uncle."

"The monkey's his uncle?" Joey looked at Yugi with a 'You need to see a doctor' look.

"No!" Yugi finally shouted. "Atemu's gone back to challenge his Uncle Aknadin to take his place as Pharaoh."

"Ohhh." Mokuba and Joey said. That made perfect sense.

* * *

Atemu walked slowly across the desolated land. Horror filled him as he saw the skeletons of animals and the grey, life-lacking land that was once his home. When he reached the lip of a cliff and looks out over his former home, and seeing the desolation, sadness filled him. He knew he had to reclaim his kingdom.

"Atemu, wait up!" Yugi called from behind Atemu. Slowing to a trot after his long run, he stood next to Atemu on the ledge. "It's awful, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Atemu nodded before looking forward again. "I didn't want to believe you."

"What made you come back?" Yugi asked, and Atemu gave him a wiry grin.

"I finally got some sense knocked into me. And I've got the bump to prove it." Atemu looked back forward with determination. "Besides, this is my kingdom. If I don't fight for it, who will?"

"I will." Yugi said, stepping up next to his friend.

"It's gonna be dangerous." Atemu pointed out, not really wanting Yugi to get hurt.

"Danger? Ha!" Yugi laughed. "And I quote someone who I know once said, 'I laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha ha.'"

"I see nothing funny about this." Joey said as he and Mokuba came up behind the two sphinxes.

"Joey? Mokuba?" Atemu gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"At your service, my liege." Mokuba said with a bow, and Joey looked over Yugi's head.

"Uh." Joey murmured as he gathered the lay of the land. "We're going to fight your uncle... for this?"

"Yes, Joey." Atemu solemnly said. "This is my home."

"Talk about your fixer-upper." Joey mumbled before bowing to his friend. "Well Atemu, if it's important to you, we're with you to the end."

* * *

Being careful, the team of liberators treaded closer to the palace. When they got to the point that they couldn't keep going for fear of being spotted, they observed the hordes of demons from behind a log.

"Demons. I hate demons." Joey moaned and leaned over to Atemu. "So what's your plan for gettin' past those guys?"

"Live bait."

"Good idea." Then Joey realized just _who_ the live bait was. "Heeey."

"Come on, Joey." Atemu pleaded with his friend. "You guys have to create a diversion."

"What do you want me to do?" Joey demanded. "Dress in drag and do the hula?"

Atemu, Yugi, and Mokuba all gave Joey a blank look. Atemu then got a mischievous look in his eyes and smirked at the oblivious shifter as Mokuba slapped his hand over his eyes.

"You and your big mouth."

* * *

"_Luau!_" the cry came from behind the demons, who all turned and looked to see a blond haired teen in a shorts and a female hula outfit, with a huge warthog with an apple in his mouth. (**A/N:** I forgot to mention that shape-shifters can change the size of what they change into)

'Atemu you so owe me for this.' Joey thought and then began to dance and sing to the now attention captured demons.

"_If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat,_

_Eat my buddy Mokuba here because he is a treat._

_Come on down and dine on this tasty swine,_

_All you have to do is get in line._"

Mokuba began to chant as Joey sang, enticing the demons more.

"_Aaaare you achin'_"

"Yup, yup, yup"

"_Foooor some bacon?"_

"Yup, yup, yup"

"_Heeee's a big pig_"

"Yup, yup"

"_You could be a big pig too. Oy!_"

The two shifters ran off screaming, the hungry and drooling demons right behind them. Atemu and Yugi however, had safely made it past without being noticed.

"Yugi, you find my mother and rally the sphinxes." Atemu told the younger sphinx as they got closer to the palace. "Male or female, we need all we can get. I'll look for Aknadin."

Yugi nodded and went to do what Atemu asked. Atemu changed to his lions from and hid behind the brush, quietly made his way towards the palace wall, where he saw Aknadin standing on the balcony.

"THEMA!" Aknadin shouted, obviously angry. Atemu gasped, realizing he was too late to act unless he wanted someone to get hurt. All he could do was watch.

Thema walked out of the crowd of demons, glaring disdainfully at them as they snap at her heels. She then ascended the rocky wall to where her brother-in-law stood. "Yes, Aknadin?"

"Where is your hunting party?" Aknadin demanded. "They're not doing their job."

"Aknadin, there is no food." Thema stated calmly. "The herds, and humans, have moved on."

"No." Aknadin snapped. "You're just not looking hard enough."

"It's _over_." Thema said firmly. "There is nothing left. We have only one choice. We _must_ leave the palace and migrate."

"We're not going anywhere." Aknadin growled, not willing to leave the area where he was stronger than the others around him.

"Then you have sentenced us to death." Thema was once again offended that Aknadin did not care for his people.

"Then so be it." Aknadin looked down at her.

"You can't do that." Thema chocked out, disgusted.

"I'm the Pharaoh." Aknadin reminded her. "I can do whatever I want."

"If you were even _half_," Thema snarled at Aknadin, "the Pharaoh that Aknankanon was you would nev—"

"I am ten times the king Aknankanon was!" Aknadin shouted as he hit Thema, and sent her tumbling down on the balcony.

A loud growl stopped Aknadin from hurting the downed queen further. Looking up, he saw a familiar lion like figure that ran towards the two sphinxes on the balcony, stopping by the fallen female.

"Aknankanon?" Aknadin scuttled backwards, frightened. "No. You're dead."

'Aknankanon' however, ignored Aknadin and nudged Thema, who stirred and looked up at him. "Aknankanon?"

"No." Atemu shook his head and changed to his sphinx form. "It's me."

"Atemu? You're alive?" Thema felt her heart rejoice upon seeing her son standing in front of her. "How can that be?"

"It doesn't matter," Atemu gently whispered. "I'm home."

"Atemu?" Aknadin blinked, confused, then recovered back to his usual sly form. "Atemu! I'm a little surprised to see you… alive." Looking up, he glared at Mai, Weevil, and Rex, who all gulped and sank back into the shadows.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart." Atemu snarled as he stalked over to Aknadin, who backed up into a wall.

"Oh, Atemu, you must understand." Aknadin said, trying to sound apologetic. "The pressures of ruling a kingdom..."

"Are no longer yours." Atemu finished the sentence. "Step down, Aknadin."

"Oh, oh, ye- Well, I would, heh, naturally, heh- however, there is one little problem. You see them?" Aknadin pointed to the horde of demons on the rocks above them. "They think I'M Pharaoh."

"Well, we don't." Yugi's voice came from behind. He appeared with the rest of the sphinxes that were loyal and ready to fight Aknadin. "Atemu is the rightful Pharaoh."

"The choice is yours, Aknadin." Atemu turned back to him after watching Isis and Seto help his mother back to her feet. "Either step down or fight."

"Oh, must it all end in violence?" Aknadin slipped pasted him. "I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree, Atemu?"

"That's not gonna work, Aknadin." Atemu said firmly. "I've put it behind me."

"But what about your faithful subjects?" Aknadin asked as he stopped in front of the line of sphinxes. "Have they put it behind them?"

"Atemu," Yugi looked at his friend confused, "what is he talking about?"

"Ahh, so you haven't told them your little secret." Aknadin said, delighted that he had a way to get Atemu out to the way. "Well, Atemu, now's your chance to tell them. Tell them who is responsible for Aknankanon's death!"

Atemu cursed himself as all of the sphinxes looked at him with shocked and confused faces. He should have known Aknadin would have a back door. Knowing he had been backed into a corner and had no choice, Atemu steeled himself, then taking a step forward. "I am."

Thema walked forward and stopped in front of her son. "It's not true." She chocked out, her voice filled with grief. "Tell me it's not true."

"It's true." Atemu whispered regretfully.

"You see!" Aknadin cried as he grabbed Thema and threw her back to the other sphinxes. "He admits it! Murderer!"

"No." Atemu tried to reason as Aknadin began to walk around him. "It was an accident."

"If it weren't for you, Aknankanon would still be alive." Aknadin accused. "It's your fault he's dead; do you deny it?"

"No." Atemu glared at his uncle.

"Then you're _guilty_." Aknadin said severely.

"No." Atemu pleaded. "I'm not a murderer."

"Oh, Atemu, you're in trouble again." Aknadin advanced on Atemu who backed away, not seeing the open ledge on the balcony that had been caused by a demon fight. "But this time, Daddy isn't here to save you. And now EVERYONE.. KNOWS... WHY!"

Atemu's hind legs slip over the edge leaving him to cling to the edge of the ledge by his forepaws. Lightning struck the dead trees and brush below, igniting a fire.

"Atemu!" Yugi cried out, wanting to rescue his friend but was helpless to due so because of all of the demons standing behind Aknadin.

"Now this looks familiar. Hmm." Aknadin sat back, pretending to think "Where have I seen this before?" Atemu took advantage of Aknadin's 'thinking'.

"You have no heir." Atemu grunted. "You may have looked after Seto but you never adopted him. When you die, no one will be able to claim the throne."

"Oh, Atemu, that's were you're wrong." Aknadin chuckled. "I _do_ have an heir."

"You don't." Atemu countered. "You never married."

"True." Aknadin continued walking and turned back to face his nephew. "But I have had affairs."

"Affairs?" Atemu felt his stomach twist. He felt so sorry for the person Aknadin had slept with. Male or female for the sphinxes didn't matter, they were magical creatures so both genders could have children.

"Yes." Aknadin "One in particular with a shape-shifter. I found out about my son five years ago, so I resorted to hiring some demons four years ago to bring him to me. They failed to kill his companions though."

'Wait a minute," Atemu thought. 'Four years ago? Then that means…'

"Seto?" Atemu gasped.

"Are you so smart?" Aknadin grinned down at him, causing the other sphinxes to gasp as well.

"I am not your son." Seto whispered.

Atemu managed to pull himself up a little to look at Seto. He had turned pale, despite his tan skin, and looked like he was going to thrown up.

"If that's the way you want it." Aknadin growled, and motioned to the demons. Two of them jumped out of the crowed and grabbed Seto, placing the amulet that forced him to stay in human form around his neck. Before anyone else could react, the two demons disappeared into the palace, dragging Seto with them, most likely to the dungeons.

"Now that that's taken care of." Aknadin looked back down at Atemu, and 'thought' a little more. "Oh, yes. I remember. This is just the way your father looked before he died."

Atemu slipped down and Aknadin grabbed his forelegs with his claws. "And here's MY little secret," he whispered to Atemu. "I killed Aknankanon."

Atemu's memory flashed back to that fateful instant. He once again saw his father falling. "NOOOO!" Atemu yelled, and lunges up, pinning Aknadin onto his back while screaming, "Murderer!"

"No, Atemu, please." Aknadin begged.

"Tell them the truth." Atemu demanded

"Truth? But truth is in the eye of the behold-" Aknadin was cut off as Atemu put his paw on Aknadin's throat started to choke him. "All right. All right." Aknadin then quietly muttered. "I did it."

"So they can hear you." Atemu yelled.

"I killed Aknankanon!" Aknadin shouted, grudgingly, but clear.

* * *

**Alverna:** Next Chapter will be the last.

**Atemu:** But don't forget about the sequel.

**Alverna:** Yeah, but I plan on having 6-11 chapters of my other story, "How did it come to this?" out first.

**Bakura:** About time.

**Alverna:** Don't worry Bakura, you're in the sequel.

**Bakura:** Yes!

**Alverna:** Last words someone.

**Atemu: **Please review.


	11. Chapter 11

**Alverna: **Last chapter.

**Everyone: **Aw man.

**Alverna: **I'll do the disclaimer. I don't own Yu-gi-oh, The Lion King, or any of the Lion King songs. Please enjoey the last chapter.

* * *

Chapter 11

Hearing the proclamation Aknadin made, Yugi raced towards his friend as the demons launched themselves at Atemu. Angered, the remaining sphinxes join in. For a few seconds the demons had the upper hand.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaahh!" a loud yell came from the sky, causing all of the sphinxes and demons to look up. A black dragon with red eyes with a teenaged male with black hair and grey eyes dived down and began to trample the unsuspecting demons.

"'Scuse me. Pardon me. Comin' through." Mokuba yelled as he changed into an elephant and ran across the demons.

"One side hot stuff!" Joey shouted as swung his tail and whacked a bunch of demons off of Yugi.

"Thanks." Yugi called to Joey as he began to fight more demons.

"No problem." Joey called as he followed Mokuba, who had changed into a Blade Knight, and some demons into the palace. Wait, was that fruit he smelled?

Back outside, Atemu was having trouble with a demon he couldn't get off his back. Literally. A resounding –THWAK- rang out, and the demon fell off of Atemu, who looked up to see Pegasus. With a battle scream, he joined the fray, and has the time of his life as he knocks down demons after demons with his superior kung-fu moves.

Mokuba, however was having some problems. Well a problem with two demons. He was currently running threw the palace, and away from Mai and Rex. Making a sharp right, he ran threw a door, and down a series of steps.

Hearing footsteps, the sphinxes in the dungeon look up. Soon a black haired teen with grey eyes ran down the narrow corridor towards them. As the teen approached the cells, he stopped for a second, staring at Seto.

"Seth." Mokuba breathed out. The icy blue eyed High Priest looked at him

"Mokuba." he mumbled. The sounds of the demons came closer and Mokuba jumped.

"Let us out! Let us out!" Mahad called to the young shifter.

"Let me out! Let me out!" Mokuba countered as he changed into a snake and quickly slithered into the cell the icy blue eyed High Priest was in, then changed back so he could hide behind the taller person. He peeked out from behind Seth and looked at the demons that were licking their lips as they looked at him. "Please don't eat me."

"Don't worry Mokuba," Seth said. (**A/N:** Seto is going to be called Seth from now on, because that's his real name. For my story anyway). "They aren't going to get you."

"Problem?" a casual voice asked from the entrance of the tunnel. Looking up the tunnel, everyone saw Joey leaning on a tunnel support, back in his human form, and munching on an apple.

"Where did you get that?" Mokuba asked.

"Pantry. You know that demons eat only meat and not fruit."

"Who's the pig?" Rex asked. Joey's eyes darkened as he looked at the two demons.

"Are you talking to me?" Joey asked in a low voice.

"Uh-oh. They called him a pig." Mokuba looked at the demons from his hiding place.

"Are you talking to me?" Joey's voice rose.

"You shouldn't of done that." Seth said, knowing where this was going.

"ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?" Joey screamed.

"Now they're in for it." Mokuba stated, adding to the confusion of the others in the prison.

"I don't envy being them right now." Seth said as he looked at Joey who was changing form.

"I am NOT a PIG!" Joey yelled as black wings leapt out of his back, claws grew, and his eyes changed red. "AAAAAHHH!"

Less than 10 seconds later, Mai and Rex were fleeing the dungeons with various injuries, and all of the prison doors were busted open so everyone was free.

"And never call me a pig again, you yellow-bellied cowards!" Joey shouted after the retreating demons as he changed back to normal.

"Well now that we're all free from the prison," Mahad said as he walked out of his cell, "all we need is someone who can get these stupid charms off our necks since we can't do it ourselves."

"Why?" Joey asked. "It's just a necklace."

"Sphinxes can't even touch these necklaces. It causes great bodily injury."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Mokuba asked as he grabbed the charm on Seth's neck. "OUCH! That thing hurts!"

"Why would it hurt you?" Karim wondered. "You are a shifter."

"Half shifter." Seth said in a monotone voice.

"Half shifter?" Shada started at Seth.

"Yes." Seth replied, looking Shada square in the eyes. "Like me. Mokuba is my brother, and Aknadin is our birth father who had an affair with our mother."

"How do you know that?" Mahad asked, after getting over the initial shock. "I mean, that he's your brother."

"One, my amnesia went away when Mokuba and Joey came down here. Two, he told me. And three, my mother told me that Mokuba was my full blood brother. Aknadin taught me all kinds of magic, so I was only just able to look at that memory and see she was telling the truth." Seth said, and then rolled his eyes. "Apparently Aknadin thought I would follow him and be the next pharaoh. But when I became a High Priest, just like everyone else, I swore an oath to protect the true and rightful ruler of Egypt. And that's Atemu."

"I hate to cut the story short," Joey said as he reached over and snapped the necklace off, and then did so for the rest of the sphinxes, "but let's go kick some demon ass."

* * *

Meanwhile, Aknadin was trying to slip away from the fight unnoticed. A low growl stopped him. Turning back, he saw Atemu race towards him. Moving as fast as he could he ran up to the roof of the palace and them up to the edge and sees a sheer drop. One of his wings had been injured during the fight, (courtesy of a certain stampeding elephant), so flying away was not an option.

The fire had spread and Atemu leapt threw the flames to confront his uncle.

"Murderer." Atemu said quietly, and severely, as he walked closer.

"Atemu, Atemu." Aknadin said, acting very apprehensive, seeing he is cornered and at his nephew's mercy. "Please. Please have mercy. I beg you."

"You don't deserve to live." Atemu said in the same tone of voice.

"But, Atemu, I am... ah..." Aknadin stuttered, trying to come up with a tactic, "family. It's the hyenas who are the real enemy. It was their fault- it was their idea!"

But Aknadin didn't notice Mai, Rex, and Weevil standing on the other side of the flames Atemu had leapt over. Having overheard, they back away growling.

"Why should I believe you?" Atemu glared down at his uncle, who coward before him. "Everything you ever told me was a lie."

"What are you going to do?" Aknadin asked, fearful for his life. "You wouldn't kill your own Uncle?"

"No, Aknadin." Atemu growled. "I'm not like you."

"Oh, Atemu, thank you. You are truly noble." Aknadin said, greatly relieved. "I'll make it up to you, I promise. How can I, ah, prove myself to you? Tell me; I mean, anything."

"Run." Atemu said gravely, as he repeated the words Aknadin had said to him two years ago. "Run away, Aknadin. And never return."

"Yes. Of course." Aknadin crept away as his nephew watched with hard eyes. He glanced down to see a pile of hot coals. "As you wish… your Majesty!" Aknadin swiped his paw and sent the coals flying into Atemu's face.

With a cry of surprise and pain, Atemu pawed the coals away, but didn't see Aknadin's attack until it was too late. The two tussled together, biting and clawing each other to gain the advantage. Soon, both had multiple minor wounds across their bodies. Aknadin smacked Atemu and threw him down by the edge of the roof, and leapt for Atemu's throat.

Atemu however, was not about to fail. Kicking his hind legs up, he used Aknadin's momentum to send him flying over the edge of the roof. Atemu looked over the edge to see his uncle weakly get up. He also saw what happened next. Mai, Rex, and Weevil approach, Weevil with a very angry look on his face.

"Ahh, my friends." Aknadin said and smiled.

"Frie-he-hends?" Mai said, trying to contain laughter. "I thought he said we were the enemy!"

"Yeah, that's what I heard." Rex added as Aknadin's expression turned to one of horror.

"Weevil?" Mai and Rex turned to their companion who began to laugh evilly. Other demons approached around the three and closed in on Aknadin.

"No. Le-Le-Let me explain." Aknadin stuttered, nervously. "No. You don't understand. No! I didn't mean for... No, No! Look, I m sorry I called you... No! NOO!"

Atemu turned his head away, not seeing the demons leap on to his uncle, and finish him for good.

As Atemu walked down from the rooftop, rain began to fall like it did five years ago on the day he was presented to the kingdom as the new prince, and douses the fire. Coming down to the second floor of the palace, Atemu was met by everyone of the court, along with Joey and Mokuba.

"Well, we did it." Joey said with a grin as big as the Nile.

"We know Puppy." Seth said with an eye roll.

"What did I tell you about calling me that!" Joey yelled at Seth who just smirked. The court looked at the two confused.

"You've known each other for half and hour and you already have a nickname for the bottomless pit?" Mahad asked.

"I am not a bottomless pit." Joey said, looking very annoyed.

"Yes you are." Mokuba, Seth, Mahad, Karim, Shada, and Atemu said.

"Hey, saving a kingdom works up and appetite." Joey said.

"Joey, with you, sleeping works up and appetite." Atemu pointed out.

"How did you know that?" Seth asked.

"How did you know that Joey is a bottomless pit?" Atemu countered.

"He ravaged the pantry after the demons suddenly left." Shada said.

"And we saw him do it." Karim added.

"I have another reason." Seth said. "Mokuba is my brother, and Puppy here tagged along with us for about a year before I was attacked by demons, separated from them, and brought to the palace to live."

"Ah."

"So how do you know he was a bottomless pit?" Mahad asked.

"Joey and Mokuba took me in after the stampede."

"I feel sorry that you had to put up with Puppy for two years." Seth said looking at Atemu. impressed.

"Will you stop calling me-" Joey started was cut off.

"It's that or Mutt." Seth said as he grabbed Joey and pulled him into a heated kiss. When they pulled apart, Joey was more subdued. "Puppy it is then. I could get use to this."

"ATEMU!" The shout came and Yugi and threw the doors and up to his friend.

"I'm okay Yugi." Atemu told Yugi. "Just a few scratches."

"Don't leave me like that again, okay?" Yugi said as he nuzzled Atemu's shoulder.

"Deal."

A clearing throat gathered eveyones attention. They turned to see Pegasus standing by the balcony where he had presented the young price to the people. Atemu walked over as everyone else walked outside below the balcony. Pegasus motioned for Atemu to step out onto the balcony and proclaim that he was Pharaoh. Atemu paused, and then hugged Pegasus, as his father did five years ago.

"It is time." Pegasus said as they pulled apart.

Atemu stepped out into the rain. With each step that brought him closer to the edge, he understood that this was where he belonged. His people needed him, and he would no longer deny his responsibility. He looked up, and saw a hole in the clouds. Out of a patch of stars, one star shines out brightly.

"Remember . . ." Aknankanon's voice spoke to Atemu once more.

'Always.' Atemu silently vowed to his father, as he gained confidence and strength.

He changed to his full lions form and let out the loudest roar he gave in his life. The sphinxes roar in reply, along with Joey and Mokuba who shifted to lions form. Time flew by, and Yugi became Atemu's mate, and Joey accepted Seth proposal to become his mate. As the savannah once again came into full bloom, a lion's roar once again called out as the animals of Egypt to the palace.

_Till we find our place_

_On the path unwinding_

_In the Circle_

_The Circle of Life _

_Circle of... Liiife _

* * *

**Alverna:** So good.

**Bakura:** Now what will you do?

**Alverna:** Work on my other story.

**Yugi: **Please review. Even if it is the last chapter.

**Alverna:** Thank You to all who reviewed, favorited, and subscribed to this story.


	12. SEQUEL NOTICE

Like I promised, I'm posting this to let everyone know the sequel to this story is out.

It's called 'The Sphinx King 2', and is found in the R. BakuraxYami Bakura section.

Go ahead and read it.


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